Politics & Government

VIDEO: Biden's Wife Watches Dramatic Combat Exercise

At Camp Pendleton, Jill Biden sees Marines swarm a fake Afghan village, firing guns and helping a screaming woman whose leg appears to be blown off by an explosive device.

Camp Pendleton hosted Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, on Friday to talk with Marines and observe a live combat exercise in a .

"It made me realize how different it is for our men and women when they go into Afghanistan," Biden said after the exercise finished.

(See the attached video for a synopsis of the combat exercise.)

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The visit was part of her ongoing work with First Lady Michelle Obama and their Joining Forces initiative, which urges Americans to recognize, honor and take action to support veterans and military families, according to a Marine Corps press release.

Biden was particularly interested in the female Marines participating in the training exercise.

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One was Staff Sgt. Christine Hitzing, who has already spent one tour of duty in Afghanistan and goes back in March.

Hitzing said female Marines were vital liaisons in Afghanistan because of that nation's strict separation of the sexes.

"We can have the fluidity to talk to anybody," Hitzing said.

Lance Cpl. Ashley Sturgis agreed: "We're just there to help them help themselves. We need to show them that we're good people."


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