MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT TRAINING CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- The battle-tested Marines of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment are currently undergoing Mojave Viper, a month-long combined arms exercise designed to prepare them for their return to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.On Oct. 26, the battalion transported its 1,000 troops to the nearby Camp Wilson before hitting the field assembly area. The second day, Marines received classes on rules of engagement, desert survival, and were warned not to interfere with local wildlife.Mojave Viper is divided into two phases of training: range fire and urban combat. During the first two weeks, Marines practice combined arms training with a series of live-fire exercises that combine machine guns, small-arms fire and rocket launchers, as well as mortars and grenades, all on the same range. The goal is to sharpen their tactics, techniques and procedures, or ‘TTP’ with live ammunition.“It’s what we call the ‘block and tackle,’” said Lt. Col. Patrick G. Looney, the battalion commander. “With live fire, we’re focused on getting the TTP’s and core competencies of actual live-fire to make sure we know how to effectively fire down range at the enemy and move under that fire before we deploy to Iraq.”That means, here, every infantry Marine, whether a basic rifleman, machine gunner, mortarman, or tow gunner must practice ground firing movement under a simulated enemy attack. “We learn how to do a lot of 0311(infantry) stuff, since that’s what we’ll do in Iraq,” said Cpl. Joshua Ramsey, a mortarman with Company L.On Range 410-A, Marines advanced bunker to bunker toward their objective under suppressive fire, while instructors lob flash grenades to bring the sights and sounds of combat to the training.This brings an element of realism to the training that many new Marines hadn’t seen before.“We were pretty effective,” said Pfc. Angel Reynolds, a machine gunner with the company. “It was fun. It’s hard to describe the intensity of this training,” said the 21-year-old from Montezuma, Iowa.Mojave Viper has undergone many changes since Operation Iraqi Freedom began more than two years ago. “Before, the battalions themselves were evaluated,” said Sgt. Maj. Rudy Resto, battalion sergeant major, 3rd Bn., 5th Marines. “But now the actual platoons and companies are getting a better assessment. The training is designed more for them, particularly the squad leaders and team leaders.”He said the emphasis in training, like combat, is small-unit leadership.The battalion has picked up nearly 100 new Marines in the last 30 days, as well as five new platoon commanders. For many, this is their first and only chance to do a live fire exercise with their Marines before deploying to Iraq.“Just in (weapons) platoon, we got 25 new joins,” said Ramsey, 21, from St. Louis, who has participated in four combined arms exercises in Twentynine Palms. “There’s definitely a lot more training on small unit leadership since the first CAX I ever did.” During their down time, OIF veterans practice ground movements and house-clearing techniques with the junior Marines.“Since they’ll be replacing us someday, we try our best to make sure they really know what they’re doing,” said Ramsey. “That’s how it’s supposed to be, anyway. It’s always good to pass down the knowledge.”In the first few days of Mojave Viper, Marines now attend a class on explosive devices, a recent addition to CAX. “We do this brief now because the Marines are in the ‘coming aboard’ phase, and right now we can get everybody together at one time,” said Staff Sgt. Bryan Burgett, assistant combat engineer representative for the Tactical Training Exercise Control Group at Twentynine Palms. The TTCG also recently added a simulated Improvised Explosive Device Range to the training grounds, where Marines can see a variety of inert improvised explosive devices, and how they are set in place, said Burgett. Also, many of the live fire scenarios now begin with a simulated IED attack.“In the old CAX’s, IEDs were not such a big consideration, but now it’s clear they’re something you have to deal with,” said Looney. “We’re being taught the TTPs to effectively counter and identify IEDs in the course of the training.”