Marine Corps Times reported today that the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism) conducted MOUT training in North Little Rock for 2 weeks recently.  These included patrols through town and practice night assaults.  The exercise was conducted by the Marine's Warfighting Laboratory.  A variety of different tactics, equipment and uniforms (including urban and desert MARPAT) were trialled.  

It was a tough test of the Marines' training as some of the Marines had only been with the fleet two months.    

Anyone from ARK who talk knowledgibly about the exercise?  What was the reaction of the locals?  The photos showed Marines in woodland instead of the USMC experimental camo used in some prior exercises or the new MARPAT patterns.  Woodland camo tends to really standout in an urban environment to civilians.  Any of the uniforms better or worse than the others?

Now, before the flames get too high, the Marines were conducting training in a realistic MOUT environment.  They need to know what works and what doesn't with respect to tactics, equipment and training.  No, I don't think they are planning or conditioning us for Marine operations in the US.  I do think its a lot better for them to learn these lessons in North Little Rock than in Mogadishu.  To be blunt, we can't afford to build MOUT training facilities with all of the complexities of real cities and it is not acceptable for us to 'rent' foreign cities for Marines to practice on.

edited to fix typo in title