WEBVTT 00:18.264 --> 00:19.909 - [1st Lieutenant Jeremiah Peter] Today we are simulating a 00:19.909 --> 00:22.017 non-combatant evacuation operation 00:22.017 --> 00:26.087 in a hostile country with insurgent forces 00:26.087 --> 00:29.245 acting in a hostile environment in the AO. 00:29.370 --> 00:31.090 So we're coming in here with 00:31.358 --> 00:34.790 support of about 18 aircraft to evacuate 00:35.390 --> 00:37.330 simulated Red Cross aid workers and other 00:37.330 --> 00:41.482 civilian personnel from the embassy of this country that we're operating in. 00:42.349 --> 00:44.797 (calm ethereal music) 01:01.223 --> 01:03.682 One of the biggest advantages of doing it up here at Twentynine Palms is 01:03.682 --> 01:05.391 this is one of the first opportunities that we've had to actually 01:05.391 --> 01:09.351 conduct this simulated NEO in an urban environment. 01:09.351 --> 01:11.194 So the pilots that are flying into this, 01:11.194 --> 01:14.121 they're going to be privy to having to deal with the 01:14.121 --> 01:17.422 constrained physical space of landing their aircraft 01:17.422 --> 01:20.745 in an urban environment, whereas a lot of the other NEOs 01:20.745 --> 01:23.871 that we have practiced in the past have been in 01:23.871 --> 01:25.673 open operating area. 01:25.673 --> 01:28.121 (calm ethereal music) 01:31.929 --> 01:34.680 This is to help us build our integration between 01:34.680 --> 01:36.005 all the elements of the MAGTF 01:36.005 --> 01:38.755 so that as we prepare to do a NEO 01:38.799 --> 01:42.150 anywhere around the world that we're working on that integration. It's really 01:42.360 --> 01:45.610 prepping our ability to plan and then execute in a time-constrained environment. 01:47.320 --> 01:49.220 (calm ethereal music) 02:11.251 --> 02:13.462 (dramatic music) 02:17.647 --> 02:21.149 - [Reporter] I got to ride along with Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. 02:21.149 --> 02:24.082 They're preparing for deployment with an exercise called the 02:24.082 --> 02:26.389 Tactical Small Unit Leadership Course. 02:26.389 --> 02:28.339 (gunshots) 02:29.810 --> 02:32.449 It was conducted out in the American Mine Training Grounds 02:32.449 --> 02:34.208 in the heart of the Mojave Desert. 02:38.323 --> 02:39.943 When we got there, you could hardly see 02:39.943 --> 02:42.264 the hundreds of Marines scattered on the mountainside. 02:42.264 --> 02:45.453 They were sitting there, camouflaged in the scenery, 02:45.453 --> 02:47.800 waiting to watch the last training exercise. 02:49.280 --> 02:51.862 A convoy rolled in, made up of a hand-selected super squad. 02:53.617 --> 02:55.892 They were the best in their unit. 02:55.892 --> 02:57.334 (gunshots) 02:57.334 --> 03:00.738 A simulated IED was detonated and the squad reacted quickly. 03:00.738 --> 03:03.156 They cleared simulated casualties, 03:03.156 --> 03:05.594 cleared the area, encountered heavy firepower. 03:06.909 --> 03:08.359 The execution was impressive. 03:08.359 --> 03:11.255 While using live ammunition, they acted and communicated clearly 03:11.255 --> 03:12.749 through the fog of war. 03:12.749 --> 03:15.336 (dramatic music) 03:33.388 --> 03:35.425 (multiple voices murmuring) 03:38.040 --> 03:40.104 - [Sergeant Carmen Pilman] I'm from Sunnyvale, Northern California. 03:40.104 --> 03:42.547 Growing up, I had a lot of friends, 03:42.547 --> 03:44.931 not necessarily the best crowd. 03:44.931 --> 03:47.164 So my senior year I figured I wanted to be a Marine. 03:47.164 --> 03:48.988 And sure enough, that's what I did. 03:48.988 --> 03:51.458 I always wanted to do something that made a difference. 03:51.458 --> 03:52.855 It's all about my kids. 03:53.090 --> 03:57.170 I do spoil my kids a lot, probably more than I should. I have two boys so 03:57.340 --> 03:58.650 they're momma's boys. 03:59.160 --> 04:02.570 In five years, if I have haven't picked up staff sergeant, I'll be up 04:02.600 --> 04:06.080 north going to school to become a social worker or probation officer. 04:06.080 --> 04:08.230 I think my whole purpose in life is to help out. 04:08.760 --> 04:11.390 My father was always lending a helping hand to friends 04:11.400 --> 04:14.900 and family members. He always taught us to lend a helping hand to 04:15.170 --> 04:18.760 the less fortunate. My mom is very strong, loyal. 04:19.400 --> 04:21.000 Trustworthy, very loving. 04:21.740 --> 04:24.500 Just...My mom is awesome. That's the person I strive to be. 04:25.830 --> 04:27.463 My mom used to always tell me that 04:27.463 --> 04:30.438 life isn't as easy as it seems, however, 04:30.700 --> 04:32.401 you know, it's all manageable, 04:32.401 --> 04:35.363 it's all doable as long as you keep trying, 04:35.710 --> 04:36.290 don't give up. 04:44.779 --> 04:47.061 (easy music) 04:54.360 --> 04:57.120 - [Brian Henen] The population of tortoises across the range have declined, including 04:57.420 --> 05:01.460 here on the base. So there used to be about 35 to 40 tortoises 05:01.470 --> 05:05.580 per square kilometer. Now that number's about 10. But the base has a biological 05:05.590 --> 05:09.280 (inaudible) that allows the Marines to train here as long as they do things 05:09.290 --> 05:12.870 to help protect the tortoise. With the tracers, the idea is 05:13.380 --> 05:15.728 we bring the females in 05:15.728 --> 05:18.729 when they're gravid, or pregnant with the eggs, and 05:18.920 --> 05:21.360 we allow them to nest inside the facility. 05:21.360 --> 05:23.223 And we're protecting those eggs 05:23.710 --> 05:27.650 and the little babies that hatch from predators. It's a long-term process. 05:27.660 --> 05:30.340 Basically the tortoises take from egg 05:31.260 --> 05:33.150 to becoming a functional adult, 05:34.160 --> 05:36.449 and they are reproducing just like any other adult in the population, 05:36.449 --> 05:38.421 it may take 15 to 20 years. 05:40.680 --> 05:43.542 (light guitar music) 05:46.030 --> 05:50.920 Head-starting is giving youngsters a chance to do better. 05:50.950 --> 05:53.780 What we're doing is we're protecting them so that they're a little bit larger, 05:54.290 --> 05:55.770 they're a little more resistant to predation. 05:57.270 --> 06:00.320 Basically this idea is to protect protect them for a while until they're big enough 06:00.670 --> 06:02.300 where they can survive better on their own. 06:11.231 --> 06:13.565 (dramatic music) 06:20.880 --> 06:24.855 - [1st Lieutenant Jake Crockett] Steel Knight's a major combined-arms live-fire exercise, 06:24.855 --> 06:27.402 with 1/4, 2/4, 3/4 06:27.402 --> 06:29.647 operating under the command of 5th Marine Regiment. 06:29.687 --> 06:32.285 Come out here, you actually see live-fire. 06:32.285 --> 06:34.028 Company-reinforced live-fire. 06:34.028 --> 06:35.784 Battalion live-fire. 06:35.784 --> 06:38.309 And then moving into (inaudible) where it all comes together 06:38.309 --> 06:42.785 and regiment's controlling a major live-fire exercise for three days (inaudible). 06:43.671 --> 06:46.149 (dramatic music) 06:51.099 --> 06:52.818 (gunshots) 06:57.066 --> 07:01.295 So basic command and control, communication, maneuver with fire, supporting fires. 07:01.295 --> 07:03.551 And also just your basic infantry skills 07:03.551 --> 07:05.711 such as your weapons-handling, 07:05.711 --> 07:07.479 shoot, move, communicate. 07:07.479 --> 07:10.028 Also the employment of their weapons systems. 07:10.028 --> 07:12.213 (shouting) 07:12.213 --> 07:14.644 It's also the big takeaways as far as the 07:14.644 --> 07:16.411 training that we took away from today. 07:16.411 --> 07:18.685 All those induce some sort of friction on 07:18.685 --> 07:21.319 the Marine, from the individual rifleman all the way to the platoon commander. 07:21.319 --> 07:23.216 (dramatic music) 07:24.477 --> 07:26.059 (gunshots) 07:46.570 --> 07:48.486 - Live for now, not for tomorrow. 07:51.393 --> 07:53.021 My name is Marine Daniel Burke. 07:53.021 --> 07:55.439 I'm 22 years old, I'm from Derby, England. 07:55.439 --> 07:57.468 I've got two brothers, two sisters. 07:57.468 --> 07:59.433 My sister Sammy, she's 20. 07:59.433 --> 08:03.065 And then Julia's 16 and (inaudible) and Harry are twins and they're 12. 08:03.065 --> 08:05.546 I shared a room with my brothers all the way through so 08:05.546 --> 08:09.022 moving on and joining the marines, sharing with other guys was 08:09.022 --> 08:11.505 like my natural habitat sort of thing. 08:11.505 --> 08:14.996 It's my fourth time in America with work. 08:14.996 --> 08:17.040 I've been quite a few times outside as well. 08:17.040 --> 08:20.630 And it's just the whole way you look at life. 08:20.630 --> 08:23.469 I don't know about coming out the marines where I'm going to live. 08:24.786 --> 08:26.467 I don't think I'm going to stay at home, probably not. 08:26.467 --> 08:29.212 Quite keen to moving over here. 08:29.212 --> 08:31.838 I think for me I'm going to have to travel around the States first. 08:31.838 --> 08:34.121 Because I've only seen the East Coast, really. 08:34.121 --> 08:35.725 It's my first time on the west side. 08:35.725 --> 08:38.431 I've been to North Carolina, Florida, 08:38.431 --> 08:40.598 Washington, South Carolina as well. 08:40.598 --> 08:43.127 Coming out to America and a place like this is a culture change. 08:43.127 --> 08:45.157 The site-seeing and things like that, 08:45.157 --> 08:48.084 getting to go around, meet new people. 08:48.084 --> 08:51.434 I've had the best time ever (inaudible). 08:59.352 --> 09:02.487 - [Lance Corporal Lauren Kurkimilis] A former Combat Center Marine, Sergeant Clifford Wooldridge, 09:02.487 --> 09:06.407 received the nation's second-highest decoration for valor, the Navy Cross. 09:07.261 --> 09:09.183 The Navy Cross is awarded to individuals who, 09:09.183 --> 09:12.079 while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, 09:12.079 --> 09:14.895 distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroism. 09:14.895 --> 09:16.981 To warrant this decoration, 09:16.981 --> 09:19.311 the act or execution of duty must be performed 09:19.311 --> 09:22.574 in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk. 09:22.574 --> 09:25.266 Sergeant Wooldridge was awarded the Navy Cross at the 09:25.266 --> 09:27.308 Lance Corporal Torrey L Gray Field 09:27.308 --> 09:30.507 May 18th for his heroic actions in Afghanistan. 09:30.790 --> 09:33.132 With his M249 SAW machine gun, 09:33.132 --> 09:35.037 Wooldridge led a fire team through a 09:35.091 --> 09:37.854 counter-ambush on 15 enemy combatants. 09:38.260 --> 09:41.320 While providing security for his fire team's withdrawal, he came 09:41.330 --> 09:45.934 face-to-face with two enemy fighters and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a third. 09:45.934 --> 09:47.534 - I saw his barrel come around this corner, 09:47.534 --> 09:50.286 so I grabbed it up and started beating him. 09:51.881 --> 09:54.925 - [Kurkimilis] Undersecretary of the Navy, the Honorable Mr. Robert O Work, 09:54.925 --> 09:57.422 presented Sergeant Wooldridge with the decoration. 09:57.630 --> 10:00.411 - It's just an unbelievable act of 10:00.612 --> 10:02.073 courage and selflessness. 10:02.073 --> 10:05.261 Not only did he maneuver against an enemy and disperse them, 10:05.261 --> 10:07.005 saving the Marines in his squad, 10:07.005 --> 10:10.002 but he covered the withdrawal of his own fire team. 10:10.002 --> 10:12.513 - [Kurkimilis] Sergeant Wooldridge says his actions would be impossible 10:12.513 --> 10:14.269 without his fellow Marines. 10:14.269 --> 10:17.783 - It's always good to know that if you're going into a hot area 10:17.783 --> 10:19.418 that somebody's got your back. 10:20.106 --> 10:21.582 - [Kurkimilis] Reporting for the Combat Center, 10:21.582 --> 10:24.065 I'm Lance Corporal Lauren Kurkimilis. 10:30.990 --> 10:32.985 (radio chatter) 10:35.969 --> 10:38.093 (exciting music) (gunshots) 10:44.870 --> 10:48.310 - First we met at the field and we got a safety brief from range safety. 10:48.340 --> 10:52.460 We went and we shot live fire at a range and now we're here doing 10:52.610 --> 10:54.380 role playing with blanks. 10:55.080 --> 10:56.260 It's been awesome. 10:57.059 --> 10:58.505 It's a lot of fun. 11:01.748 --> 11:03.312 (gunshots) 11:13.700 --> 11:15.632 (shouting) 11:21.460 --> 11:24.517 I think it was a really good experience, kind of getting familiarized with 11:24.580 --> 11:26.460 what your husband does while he's deployed, 11:26.970 --> 11:29.190 his training ops and that kind of stuff. 11:29.870 --> 11:32.250 I think that's a big key in a relationship, 11:32.250 --> 11:35.142 is to understand what the spouse 11:35.142 --> 11:36.703 that is in the service does. 11:37.370 --> 11:38.759 - [Woman] Frag out! 11:53.594 --> 11:55.928 (light guitar music) 12:10.437 --> 12:13.447 - [Reporter] I think homecomings have officially become my favorite event to cover. 12:13.447 --> 12:16.421 Everyone is just so happy and excited. 12:16.421 --> 12:18.878 The families out there show so much support 12:18.878 --> 12:22.849 and they would brave the elements just to give their Marine that first hug. 12:22.849 --> 12:26.112 (upbeat music) 12:31.918 --> 12:33.500 The children out there were the best part. 12:35.383 --> 12:37.172 I was so touched when I saw a baby 12:37.172 --> 12:40.065 that was about to see his father for the first time. 12:42.682 --> 12:46.546 After a long deployment, I think that your family are the best people to welcome you home. 12:46.546 --> 12:49.061 (upbeat music) 13:45.190 --> 13:49.112 - [Dorian Gardner] I think I'm a strong, independent individual. (overlapping voices) 13:53.208 --> 13:54.961 I don't think much of people who make excuses. 13:57.730 --> 13:58.390 My philosophy on life 13:59.650 --> 14:01.510 I try to just take everything as it comes. 14:02.830 --> 14:06.070 Not to be too serious or stress out about every little thing but definitely try to 14:06.070 --> 14:07.140 appreciate everything 14:09.080 --> 14:10.980 for what it's worth, try to enjoy every moment. 14:13.640 --> 14:15.440 It was in October and I was 14:15.940 --> 14:18.030 covering India Battery 3/12. 14:19.902 --> 14:23.931 And that morning we stepped off on a foot patrol and 14:26.260 --> 14:30.680 I heard mortar fire coming down and then saw dirt fly up after an explosion 14:30.690 --> 14:33.327 went off, and then after that everything went black. 14:33.770 --> 14:34.710 I heard the corpsman 14:35.610 --> 14:38.030 yelling my name, so I knew I was still alive. 14:39.080 --> 14:43.120 I've definitely been through some things and came back to talk about it, and because of that, 14:44.140 --> 14:46.760 people respect me for it. 14:47.700 --> 14:50.300 Also I think it added to my character. 14:51.180 --> 14:53.381 I feel like I have a bright future in the Marine Corps ahead of me. 14:53.381 --> 14:56.195 And I still feel like there's a lot that I can still do. 14:56.810 --> 14:58.970 There's no limit for my future.