Marines with Service Company, Headquarters Regiment, 2nd Marine Logistics Group crawled, walked, and ran to conquer the obstacles and swamps during an endurance course aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 1, 2015. Through a shared struggle, Marines were able to work together and communicate to build unit cohesion during the course.
They began the course crawling through mud and navigated shallow water while avoiding a barbed-wire ceiling. Once they passed the wire, Marines crawled through a cramped, partially submerged tunnel, which is meant to simulate trench warfare, and disappeared into the tree line.
“The purpose of this course is to promote and build unit camaraderie while fortifying the Marines’ combat mindset,” said Lance Cpl. Alfredo A. Cedeno a disburser with the company. “We worked together to conquer and overcome obstacles and everyone had a good time.”
Ahead were several large swamps the Marines faced before escaping the brush. After advancing from the tree line, Marines completed a rope wall challenge.
“It’s nice to see the eagerness on their faces when Marines find out that they are going to be getting muddy,” said Master Gunnery Sergeant Heath Totsch, the disbursing chief with the Company. “They push themselves through the challenge and work well with one another; they don’t allow each other to quit.”
The wall stood at an angle with a rope attached at the top and foot brace boards for traction. Climbing over the wall they made their way down another rope, sliding hand over hand until they reached the ground below.
Once the last Marine in a group came down the rope they proceeded to move into the brush, where they endured the swamps of the course again.
“We can’t always see what obstacles are in the murky water so we needed to help each other,” said Cedeno. “This course allowed us to demonstrate our teamwork when progressing through the swamp by communicating and working together.”
As the Marines neared the finish they saw a hose was placed at the end of the run where they could wash off the mud that they were all covered in.
“This training was intended to motivate these Marines,” said Totsch. “It enables us the opportunity to work together outside of the office and build morale through shared hardship and challenge.”