CAMP FUJI, GOTEMBA, JAPAN – U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment conducted exercise Fuji Viper 24.3 from May 22 to July 2, 2024, in Japan while deployed with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program (UDP). The Fuji Viper series of exercises allows UDP battalions to conduct combined arms live fire training not possible in many other locations in Japan and provides an opportunity to sustain, generate, and highlight readiness and lethality within the first island chain.

While deployed to Camp Fuji, the Marines and Sailors of 2/8 practiced capturing and defending key maritime areas and conducted live-fire training to improve their marksmanship and proficiency with a variety of weapon systems, terrain types and scenarios.

During the exercise, the Marines conducted a series of training exercises including land navigation, military operations in urban terrain (MOUT), force-on-force, infiltration operations, combat marksmanship drills, machine gun drills, an explosive ordnance drill, an explosive ordnance drill, platoon-level defense, and a mobile defense in a jungle environment, reinforcing the Marine Corps’ well-known mantra of “any climate, any place.” The Marines overcame numerous challenges presented by the unfamiliar terrain.

“The main objective of Fuji Viper is to maintain and enhance skills,” said Cpl. Antonio Perales, a rifleman with the 2/8. “This environment has tested us in many ways and ensures that we are ready to deploy to any location regardless of climate. If potential adversaries decide to attack us in INDOPACIFIC, we will be ready.”

While negotiating the harsh jungle terrain and weather, the Marines of 2/8 mastered nonverbal communication to execute and complete their mission during their platoon-level defense, MOUT, and infiltration operations. The Marines are deployed from their home base of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, on rotating six-month deployments to gain experience operating in a jungle environment prevalent throughout much of the Indo-Pacific.

“This environment is a drastic change from where we normally train,” said Cpl. Gabriel Sutton, squad leader with 2/8. “Where we train in Lejeune, it’s flat and open, but here, when you get into the jungle and hillier (or) mountainous areas, the route planning is much more detailed. You have to pay much more attention to how the Marines move in this terrain.”

The U.S. Marines demonstrated each military specialty’s (MOS) approach to MOUT training, where riflemen and mortarmen shared tactics and experiences to find the most efficient way to achieve their objectives. In addition, the Marines conducted live-fire training and worked together to successfully demonstrate small-unit leadership skills in various scenarios.

“No matter where we are or what we are doing, we are always training for the next potential adversary,” said Lance Cpl. Cage Clack, a rifleman with 2/8. “The overall lethality of a unit can be judged by its ability to move through the terrain and accomplish the mission.”

The Marines’ training at Fuji Viper culminated in platoon-level defense and mobile defense scenarios that included a variety of MOSs, including riflemen, mortar gunners, machine gunners, engineers, and sniper scouts, combining all of the skills the Marines learned during their time at Camp Fuji.

“Fuji Viper demonstrated that we can integrate our combat capabilities across the entire Marine Air-Ground Task Force,” said Sgt. Anderson Ryan, a grenade launcher with 2/8. “During our time at Camp Fuji Training Area, we were able to navigate and improve in the jungle environment.”