Camp Lejeune | MCT Week 2

Every Marine A Riflemen

Settling Into the Routine

This week marks a major turning point in your Marine’s journey at Marine Combat Training. Week 2 is when classroom instruction and individual drills give way to realistic field training—the point where your Marine starts putting all their newly learned skills into action.

From sunrise to sunset (and often beyond), your Marine will train in the elements—learning to operate in conditions that test both their mental toughness and physical endurance. These days are long, challenging, and unforgettable, designed to forge Marines who can thrive in any environment.

Body Sparring

Week 2 kicks off with body sparring, a physically demanding and confidence-building event that tests your Marine’s endurance, strength, and fighting spirit. These bouts are designed to sharpen combat instincts, reinforce the principles of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), and teach Marines how to stay calm, focused, and effective under pressure. It’s more than just a fight — it’s about developing the mental resilience to keep pushing when things get tough.

Field Exercise (FEX) Preparation

After sparring, your Marine transitions directly into Field Exercise (FEX) preparation, where they’ll rehearse the key skills needed for the upcoming multi-day field operation. This includes reviewing combat formations, practicing patrolling procedures, refining communication skills, and conducting immediate-action drills. Marines will also work on terrain analysis, movement to contact, and setting up defensive positions, ensuring they can operate seamlessly as a team once the exercise begins.

When the FEX begins, your Marine will live, train, and sleep in the field — carrying everything they need in their pack. They’ll execute day and night patrols, conduct defensive operations, and respond to simulated enemy contact using live-action scenarios. It’s an intense and realistic experience that builds trust, confidence, and leadership under fire.

Once the exercise concludes, your Marine’s platoon will regroup for recovery and refit — cleaning weapons, maintaining gear, and preparing for the next challenge. These moments of regrouping are as important as the fight itself; they teach accountability, discipline, and attention to detail.

Time to Move Out

Following the FEX, your Marine will take on a grueling 15K conditioning hike with their full combat load—a demanding test of endurance, teamwork, and determination. Each step builds physical toughness and reinforces the resilience that defines every Marine.

Once the hike concludes, there’s no slowing down. Your Marine will move straight into range preparation and weapons training, focusing on the employment of the light machine gun. Before live-fire training, Marines will practice in the ISMT (Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer)—a cutting-edge system that replicates real-world marksmanship scenarios in a controlled, indoor environment.

Using the ISMT, Marines learn how to engage moving and stationary targets, manage recoil and burst control, and refine their accuracy with the light machine gun. This simulator allows them to practice critical skills like weapon handling, sight alignment, and immediate-action drills before transitioning to live ammunition on the range.

This blend of physical endurance, technical skill, and mental focus prepares your Marine for the challenges of combat marksmanship—ensuring they are confident, disciplined, and lethal with their weapon when it matters most.

Live Fire

Marines will conclude the week with some motivating time on the range, putting their skills and discipline to the test behind the light machine gun. They’ll begin with dry-fire drills to reinforce safety, control, and precision before moving into zeroing exercises, ensuring each weapon is properly sighted and ready for accurate engagement.

Once zeroed, Marines will advance into fire and movement training, where they’ll apply everything they’ve learned—coordinating as a fire team to move, communicate, and engage targets while maintaining control and accuracy. This dynamic training simulates the intensity of combat and reinforces the teamwork and trust essential to every Marine unit.

It’s a powerful and rewarding way to end the week, showcasing your Marine’s progress, confidence, and mastery as they handle one of the Corps’ most effective and respected weapons systems.

The Making of a Warrior

By the end of this week, your Marine will be stronger, more confident, and better prepared to handle anything that comes their way. They’ve learned to endure discomfort, embrace teamwork, and push through adversity. These experiences aren’t just about combat—they’re about character, resilience, and leadership.

I’m SgtMaj Paul Davis, USMC (Ret), and I look forward to sharing more of this incredible journey with you. Next week, your Marine will continue with live fire exercises—building precision, confidence, and mastery.

Semper Fidelis