In the desert of the African coast, dark and dreary clouds loomed in the sky. With the weather unpredictable, Soldiers were making use of their time in training.

Soldiers with the 331st Transportation Company and 1098th Medium Boat Company, out of Fort Eustis, Virginia, took part in survival, escape and evasion training to improve their skills and combat efficiency during exercise African Lion 2011 at Cap Draa, Morocco, May 5, 2011.

Exercise African Lion 11 is a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed, U.S. Africa Command-scheduled, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Africa-conducted, joint and bi-lateral exercise between Morocco and the United States that involves more than 2,000 U.S. service members, consisting of elements from the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force, training alongside approximately 900 members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. The exercise takes place from April 25 to June 18.

The soldiers participating in the exercise formed an element titled Task Force 24.

"Survival skills are good for all soldiers in the Army to know," said Sergeant 1st Class Nathan Almaas, the training instructor and Juneau, Alaska, native with TF 24. "If you are ever stuck out in the desert, this is good training to have."

Almaas demonstrated to soldiers techniques to purify urine into drinking water, find true north, determine edible foods and benefits of eating certain animals, and starting fires.

The soldiers became more inventive by learning unorthodox methods to start fires such as using household accelerants and items for ignition. Soldiers were shown how insect repellants and hand sanitizers are flammable and can be ignited by using pieces of glass, personal glasses, and flint in order to survive.

Almass said the survival training gives soldiers one-on-one experience in advanced and reliable techniques they would normally have to learn from a more advanced military course. He said this knowledge is potentially lifesaving and invaluable for each and every soldier partaking.

The training was serious, yet some soldiers like Staff Sergeant James Brogan from Boston, with the 331 Transportation Company, Modular Causeway, tried to make the training fun while keeping its effectiveness. Brogan kept his group of soldiers motivated by calling them "Brogans Team Elite" and by comically giving them constructive criticism when correcting their errors instead of the usual military seriousness.

Survival is the most basic instinct of anyone, but the knowledge needed to survive without modern commodities can only be gained by proper training.

"We've tried to harness the power of fire since the dawn of man," said Brogan, "and today we have."