Hidden in the northern part of Okinawa island of Japan, Camp Gonsalves is a U.S. Marines jungle warfare training area. Established 1958, it’s the largest U.S training facility in Okinawa. The Jungle Warfare Training Center provides expert instruction to prepare Marines and Joint Forces for the rigors of combat in a dense jungle environment. Building upon small unit leadership, a tactical mindset and unit cohesion, the JWTC looks to instill confidence, bolster leadership, and challenge all individuals who train there. Challenge is the key term, because challenging it is.
With week-long courses that include land navigation and other skills, and culminating in an endurance course on the final day, the JWTC welcomes airmen, soldiers, sailors, and Marines from every unit. Survival of the Fittest is the overriding mindset at the JWTC, and one of the most accurate facts regarding it. Because like any Vietnam vet would tell you, the jungle is the worst enemy.
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