Members of a Washington County-based U.S. Marine Corp Reserve unit have deployed to California for training at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center.

Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 24th Marine Regiment departed Saturday for "two weeks of rugged, physically demanding and mentally taxing training," according to a news release.

Lima Company is known to have a number of Greene County residents among its members.

Although the announcement doesn't mention it, the training the unit is receiving this month is thought to be preparation for future deployment to Afghanistan.

That training, according to the release from Lt. Col. J.G. Watson, will include mountain climbing, rappelling, cliff assaults, rope and knot management, expeditionary bridging and river crossing, survival techniques, high-altitude weather awareness, use of pack animals and land navigation."

The Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, located near Bridgeport, Calif., is one of the Corps' most remote and isolated posts. It covers 46,000 acres of the Toiyabe National Forest. Elevations range from about 6,700 feet to just under 12,000 feet.

Lima Company, which last deployed as a unit to Iraq in 2004, sent some of its members back to Iraq with another battalion of the 24th Marine Regiment in 2006-07.