The goal of the course is to learn basic survival and combat skills in a desert environment. For this type of exercise Djibouti makes a superb training ground, said French Marine Capt. Michel Ladan, chief of the Desert Training School. The training teaches “simple things like eating, drinking, orienting with GPS, medical evacuation, and fighting in the desert environment,” he said.
The course is divided into two parts: acclimation and commando training. In the first portion the lessons included education on desert plants and animals, survival skills, how to find water and how to prepare food to stay alive in the desert.
“We learned how to make life a little more comfortable when it's 125 degrees,” said Cpl. Matthew Kang, 4th Provisional Security Company.
The commando-training portion of the school included daily 15- to 20-mile foot movements, at night, through the high desert mountains. The Marines traveled with a camel caravan that carried their supplies. They also conducted ambushes and mock raids against suspected enemy forces in manufactured villages.
After the acclimation period was over, the platoon stopped eating French Meals Ready to Eat. “We were only given two goats, some rice and flour to make little pancakes out of each
day." said Cpl. Emanuel Ramosyajimovich , 4th PSC, "We learned how to kill and skin goats like the locals and then made jerky or cooked them for our meals."
“We need to better understand our partners in the war on terror,” said Capt. Garth Massey, executive officer, 4th PSC. “The French Marines trained here will be working in Afghanistan and other parts of Africa, so training with them was a great opportunity to see firsthand how they go about preparing for missions supporting Operation Enduring Freedom."