Guatemalan Marines execute U.S. Marine Corps martial arts bayonet thrusts, Sept. 7, at Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla Naval Base in Guatemala. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010 taught Marine Corps martial arts techniques to Guatemalan Marines for six days. Marines with CP10 are currently deployed to the Caribbean, Central and South America conducting subject-matter expert exchanges and providing humanitarian civic assistance to host nations.

Photo by Cpl. Alicia R. Giron

Continuing Promise Marines teach martial arts to Guatemalan Marines

17 Sep 2010 | Cpl. Alicia R. Giron 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

PUERTO SANTO TOMAS DE CASTILLA NAVAL BASE, Guatemala -- As sweat drips down their faces, Guatemalan Marines keep their eyes and ears open ready to learn the next Marine Corps martial arts technique.

For six days, U.S. Marines from Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010 stayed overnight at Puerto Santo Tomas De Castilla Naval Base in Guatemala to teach Guatemalan Marines, Sept. 7-12.

“It was definitely a unique experience being in Guatemala and teaching their Marine force,” said 1st Lt. Jessica M. Weinbrenner, native of Pepperell, Mass., and martial arts instructor with Marine Air Control Squadron 2, Command Element of Special-Purpose MAGTF. “I hope this gives them something they can take back and continue to teach their troops.”

The martial arts training served as a subject-matter expert exchange, which is only one essential mission of CP10. It allots the opportunity for U.S. Marines and foreign militaries to interact by teaching one another their knowledge and experiences.

Fifteen Guatemalan Marines endured combat conditioning in the early morning of every MCMAP training day. They participated in various U.S. Marine Corps exercises in boots and utility trousers lead by Staff Sgt. Adam L. Snouffer, a section leader with Company A, 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, Ground Combat Element of Special-Purpose MAGTF.

“Boots and utilities combat conditioning gives a different level of physical training for Marines to step out of their comfort zone and work harder in what they’re doing,” said Weinbrenner. “We had one Guatemalan who wanted to quit on the second day of combat conditioning, but we didn’t let him. We kept him motivated until he finished.”

In the Guatemalan heat for at least seven hours each day, Guatemalan Marines continued to put forth the effort in learning MCMAP. Both Guatemalan and U.S. Marines ate, slept and trained together for the subject-matter expert exchange.

“Overall, I hope they understand the purpose of MCMAP and use it to progress in their own training,” said Weinbrenner.