An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Marines Learn Jungle Survival During Cobra Gold

April 5, 2023 |DOD News

A group of Marines got up close and personal — maybe for some a little too personal — with snakes, spiders and scorpions during a jungle survival class as part of Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand.

Marines assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2/4, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit joined their Thai counterparts for a jungle survival class in which they learned the necessary skills to survive in harsh, austere environments.

A Marine drinks water from a long vine.
A Marine drinks water from a long vine.
Vine Glass
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rowen Mocconkey, a rifleman with Battalion Landing Team 2/4, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, drinks water out of a vine held by a Royal Thai Reconnaissance marine in a jungle survival class during Exercise Cobra Gold 23 in Sattahip, Thailand, Feb. 27, 2023. Jungle survival classes teach participating nations the skills necessary to survive while responding to crises and operating in austere environments. Cobra Gold, now in its 42nd year, is a Thai-U.S. training event that builds on the longstanding friendship between the two nations.
Download: Full Size (3.61 MB)
Credit: Marine Corps Cpl. Austin Gillam
VIRIN: 230227-M-HX884-1219A
A Marine smiles as another Marine places a snake around his neck.
A Marine smiles as another Marine places a snake around his neck.
Snake Duty
Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Isaiah Jones, with Battalion Landing Team 2/4, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, familiarizes himself with indigenous snakes with help from a Royal Thai Reconnaissance marine during a jungle survival class as part of Exercise Cobra Gold in Sattahip, Thailand, Feb. 27, 2023. Jungle survival classes teach participating nations the skills necessary to survive while responding to crises and operating in austere environments. Cobra Gold, now in its 42nd year, is a Thai-U.S. training event that builds on the longstanding friendship between the two nations.
Download: Full Size (4.2 MB)
Credit: Marine Corps Cpl. Austin Gillam
VIRIN: 230227-M-HX884-1585

The class was part of Cobra Gold — an annual U.S.-Thai co-sponsored exercise that builds on the longstanding friendship between the two nations and brings together a robust multinational force to promote regional peace and security in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

{{slideNumber}}/{{numSlides}} - {{slideCaption}}
Download: Full Size ({{filesize}})
Credit: {{photographer}}
VIRIN: {{virin}}
Marines sit on benches while another Marine stands in front and talks.
A Marine works with a snake.
A Marine eats a pineapple.
A Marine kneels on the ground with a snake next to him.
A Marine smiles as a snake is wrapped around his neck while other Marines look on.
A Marine holds a scorpion in his hand.
A Marine holds a snake and uses a piece of wood to show its fangs.
{{slideNumber}} of {{numSlides}}

{{slideNumber}}/{{numSlides}} {{slideTitle}} - {{slideCaption}}

{{slideInfo.slideNumber}}/{{numSlides}} {{slideInfo.slideTitle}} - {{slideInfo.slideCaption}}

Cobra Gold is now in its 42nd year. This year's exercise involved more than 7,000 service members from seven nations including the U.S., Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.

Spotlight: Focus on Indo-Pacific Spotlight: Focus on Indo-Pacific: https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Focus-on-Indo-Pacific/

Marine Corps Indo-Pacific partnerships Cobra Gold

Related Stories