Afghan Bound – The 650 Royal Marines of 40 Commando RM, based at Taunton, are approaching the climax of twelve months of training to prepare them for a six month stint in Afghanistan.      Exercise Pashtun Dawn was aimed at building on all the training carried out by the individual units earmarked for Operation Herrick 17 – there are fourteen (14) regiments or battalions committed to the six month mission – and mesh them seamlessly together under 4 Mechanised Brigade, which will be the headquarters throughout the deployment.     40 Commando RM have been training on ranges in the UK, notably Lydd and Hythe in Kent and Stanford in Norfolk – the latter features mock Forward Operating Bases akin to Afghanistan.