International military officers observe ITX 3-18

Twentynine Palms -- The Command and Staff College, Marine Corps University at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., brought out international students to the Combat Center to observe training on May 3 and 4, 2018.

In attendance were 33 students from 32 different countries, to include Botswana, Germany, Indonesia, and the Ukraine. All are currently attending courses at the Command and Staff College in preparation for higher billets and commands in their respective militaries.

“Really the purpose of bringing them out here is to see firsthand how we train to fight,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Good, instructor, Command and Staff College. “We’ve reviewed in-classroom material, now it’s time for them to see what we do firsthand.”

Over the course of two days, the students observed a company-level fire and maneuver to destroy targets at Range 401, fire support coordination at Observation Post Left, and multiple urban lanes at Range 220 as well as entry checkpoint controls at R220.

“The Combat Center is the premier training installation in the continental United States,” said Maj. Meghan Kennerly, G-3 current operations officer, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, in a brief to the students. “It is here that much of the Marine Corps’ warfighting doctrine and training is implemented, new strategies are formed and Marines learn how to fight to win.”

Many of the students were interactive with the exercise controllers during the visit and often asked questions on certain techniques or procedures that they observed. Upon graduating their course on June 6, 2018, they will return home to their countries with new knowledge of Marine Corps values, doctrine and warfighting skills and instill them into their own troops.