Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, practice hand-to-hand combat techniques during the grey belt Marine Corps Martial Arts class in the hangar bay of USS Peleliu (LHA 5).::r::::n:: Marine Corps Martial Arts teaches basic hand-to-hand combat techniques as an alternative to the use of conventional weapons. The techniques are especially useful in crowd control and individual detainment to lower threat levels in dangerous or highly charged situations.::r::::n:: The qualified MCMAP instructors of the 15th MEU are working at making each Marine at least a grey belt by the end of fiscal year 2008, per Marine Corps order.::r::::n:: The Camp Pendleton, Calif. based 15th MEU is comprised of approximately 2,200 Marines and Sailors and is a forward deployed force of readiness capable of conducting numerous operations, such as Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations, Humanitarian Assistance Operations and a wide range of amphibious missions. ::r::::n:: The 15th MEU is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf region. (Official USMC photo by Cpl. Timothy T. Parish) (Released)::r::::n::