Camp Pendleton Marines part of MAREX 25 with the Philippines, Indo-Pacific allies

The opening ceremonies for Marine Exercise Philippines MAREX Photo courtesy of Marine Rotational Force Darwin A portion of a ground combat element has deployed from Camp Pendleton via Australia to the Philippines to train with the Philippine Marine Corps PMC st Marine Brigade In Mindanao U S Marines with nd Battalion st Marine Regiment Marine Rotational Force Darwin MRF-D began Marine Exercise Philippines MAREX designed to further improve small unit tactics and combined arms capabilities in a realistic jungle training context MRF-D is a forward-deployed Marine Air-Ground Task Force MAGTF that executes operations across the Indo-Pacific region with key allies and partners MAREX is the beginning of a series of trainings taking place between MRF-D Marines PMC and the Armed Forces of the Philippines AFP all happening simultaneously in Australia New Caledonia Papua New Guinea and Malaysia Our ability to deploy and integrate forces to multiple locations at once is a testament to the flexibility and adaptability of the MAGTF Col Jason C Armas commanding officer of the MRF-D task force explained in a news release We are simultaneously enhancing capabilities with our allies and partners while demonstrating our unwavering commitment to regional stability and prevention MAREX includes subject matter expert exchanges combat marksmanship training jungle survival instruction and opportunities for U S and Philippine Marines to engage with local communities in Mindanao The exercise will culminate in the execution of a full mission profile a realistic end-to-end training scenario replicating all phases of a military operation It is designed to closely simulate the conditions Marines might face in real world combat The remainder of the MAGTF is preparing for a series of multinational exercises across the Pacific In one Balikatan MRF-D Marines and sailors will train alongside joint U S military forces the Australian Defence Force AFP and Japan Ground Self Defense Force The U S Army s st Multi-Domain Task Force will also be involved during a counter-landing live fire event at Palawan Philippines Concurrently with Balikatan members of Combat Logistics Battalion will rehearse humanitarian assistance and tragedy response HADR operations in New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna alongside the th Mission Advocacy Command U S Army Pacific The battalion also will conduct a technical reconnaissance operation in Papua New Guinea miles to the west with the Australian Defence Force and other regional partners to locate and mark unexploded ordnance in the region for safe disposal while engaging with the local neighborhood Marine Rotational Force Darwin completed a six-month rotation to Darwin Northern Territory Australia closing a deployment in October