FIREBASE GLORIA, MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Marines and Sailors from 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, completed a week long helicopter borne raid exercises Sep. 22, as part of training for future deployments.The exercises was part of the Raid Leaders Course, typically for noncommissioned officers, taught by I Marine Expeditionary Force's Special Operation Training Group. The Marines are training for their upcoming deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf regions later in 2007 with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit."It's a great refresher," said Sgt. Jeremy Jones, a platoon sergeant for 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3/1. "But I think it's going to be great for the whole company once we get them out here."A raid is, by SOTG definition, an operation, usually small scale, involving a swift penetration of hostile territory to secure information, confuse enemy forces, or destroy enemy installations."The course was great to familiarize infantry riflemen with other weapons that they don't use on a day-to-day basis," said Cpl. Derek Fetterolf, an assualtman who was 1st Squad Leader on the raid.The scenario or Assault Element Order was simple. Over the past several days Recon platoon and Battalion scout snipers have located an Al Qaeda terrorist camp. Activity indicated that they're preparing to conduct operations against the Marines' company. The MEU commander determined that the Marines from 1st platoon must destroy the terrorist camp before the terrorist can disperse and conduct offensive operations. It was up to the Marines of the Raid Leaders Course to come up with a plan of attack utilizing techniques they learned throughout the week-long course. They would accomplish this by using 1st squad as the breach squad, 2nd squad as the support element and 3rd squad as the main effort to overcome the enemy. This was all done while at the same time taking into consideration the terrain and numerous other elements for the operation."It was interesting how we learned all these tactics over the past five days," explained Lance Cpl. Thomas Morris, a rifleman with 2nd Platoon, India Company, 3/1. "And then getting a chance to put it all together is a great way to end the course; I learned a lot here."