31st MEU Participates in Talisman Saber 2013 in Australia

CAMP ROCKY, QLD, AUSTRALIA

07.17.2013

Courtesy Story

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP ROCKY, QUEENSLAND, Australia - More than 2,000 Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived here to participate in exercise Talisman Saber 2013, a multilateral exercise taking place in a number of locations in Australia from July 15 - Aug. 5.

Talisman Saber 2013 officially kicked off with an opening ceremony at the Rockhampton show grounds July 14, with an estimated 15,000 local visitors passing through a variety of U.S. and Australian static displays featuring military personnel and equipment, enjoying live music and food from local vendors.

"We've been looking forward to this (opening ceremony) for some time," said Karon Gleadhill, a citizen of Rockhampton who brought her three children to the fairgrounds. "The kids just love this. They love seeing the (U.S. service members) and all their kit."

The Marines of the 31st MEU will train alongside a joint U.S. force that totals approximately 18,000 personnel, as well as approximately 9,000 Australian service members in the fifth iteration of Talisman Saber, a biennial exercise designed to enhance multilateral collaboration in support of future combined operations as well as natural disaster and humanitarian emergency response.

"This is a premier opportunity to refine and improve our amphibious operations skills by working with and learning from the Australian Defence Force," said Col. John Merna, commanding officer, 31st MEU. "Talisman Saber is an ideal exercise for Expeditionary Strike Group 7 and the 31st MEU to demonstrate the full range of operational amphibious capabilities to our Australian partners as we work with them to reinvigorate their own amphibious capabilities."

The 31st MEU forces will train primarily in Rockhampton, the maritime areas of the Coral Sea, and the Australian ranges that include Shoalwater Bay Training Area and Townsville Field Training Area.

The exercise features a nine-day, simultaneous integrated command post exercise and field training exercise, and culminates in a weeklong combined, joint live-fire exercise starting July 30.

The 31st MEU includes more than 2,200 Marines and Sailors, and is comprised of four elements: the Command Element; Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines; Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced); and Combat Logistics Battalion 31.

The 31st MEU provides a forward-deployed, flexible sea-based force capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations in the Asia-Pacific area.

Always ready to respond, the 31st MEU is also prepared to provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief when directed. The 31st MEU is the only continually forward-deployed MEU and remains the Marine Corps' force-in-readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information about the deployment of the 31st MEU, follow the MEU on Facebook at www.facebook.com/31stMEU or visit the webpage at: www.31stmeu.marines.usmc.mil.

Media queries may be directed to the Talisman Saber 2013 Combined Joint Information Bureau at [e-mail] or to Capt. Garron Garn, 31st MEU public affairs officer at [e-mail], or 1stLt Dave Baugh, 31st MEU Deputy PAO at [e-mail] (0455-181-140).

• Date Taken: 07.17.2013
• Date Posted: 07.17.2013 20:17
• Story ID: 110350
• Location: CAMP ROCKY, QLD, AU