BEND, Ore. — Marine reservists are using some of their training time to help clean up national forests in Oregon.

Members of a U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve engineer services Company, part of Combat Logistics Battalion 23 came from Springfield earlier this month for training exercises in the Deschutes National Forest and the Willamette National Forest, The Bulletin reported (https://is.gd/c7PG9e ) on Monday.

As part of their training, about 50 reservists completed maintenance projects in Deschutes and 40 helped out in the Willamette forest.

Reserve Maj. Justin DiRico, a reservist, of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve said the Deschutes trip was a way for the members to train realistically because they usually have full-time jobs or go to school. Reserve members must train for one weekend each month and for a two-week stretch each year and be ready to deploy if needed.

The reservists who went to the Deschutes forest demolished an old guard station on forestland and built more storage near the headquarters building in Bend, doing work that forest officials said they had no money or manpower to accomplish.

"These projects kept getting deferred and deferred and deferred," said Kassidy Kern, a Deschutes forest spokeswoman.

Marines with Engineer Services Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 23, Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve, work with the U.S. Forest Service during Exercise Forest Rattler to clean and repair culverts in roads running through the Willamette National Forest in Oakridge, Ore., July 21, 2016.

Photo Credit: Sgt. Sara Graham/Marine Forces Reserve

Marine Corps Reserve Staff Sgt. Alex Banse-Fay said the reservists used heavy equipment and tools, solving problems on the job as they worked.

Forest officials have long complained they lack resources to complete maintenance. This is the first year the Marines trained in Deschutes and Kern said they are welcome to return.

"We would love to have them as often as possible," Kern said.

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