Combat Assault Battalion takes to sea before Cobra Gold

Photo By Lance Cpl. Donald Peterson | Assault amphibious vehicles prepare to depart a beach Feb. 3 at Camp Schwab to embark the USS Denver for Exercise Cobra Gold 2014. Cobra Gold, which took place Jan. 27 through Feb. 21, is an annual multinational and joint service exercise, with participation from several nations including, the Kingdom of Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia. The 12 participating AAVs and subsequent crews are with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.  

CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, JAPAN

02.03.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. Donald Peterson 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP SCHWAB, Japan - Marines with Combat Assault Battalion embarked from a beach on Camp Schwab with 12 assault amphibious vehicles to board the USS Denver Feb. 3 in preparation for exercise Cobra Gold 2014.

Cobra Gold, which took place Jan. 27 through Feb.21, is an annual multinational and joint service exercise, with participation from several countries, including the Royal Kingdom of Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

“We are setting out to board the USS Denver,” said Sgt. Richard A. Skates II, an AAV crewman, with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, currently assigned to CAB, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. “After boarding, we will go to White Beach for two days to load more gear on the USS Denver in preparation for Exercise Cobra Gold.”

Boarding a ship from the sea is a rare training opportunity for CAB, according to Skates.

“Though we don’t do this type of training often, we still go over proper procedures for this type of event,” said Skates. “This is important, so we are always prepared for any event that may come up when boarding a ship may be necessary.”

During Cobra Gold, CAB’s AAVs will be used in several training events.

“While out there we will participate in an amphibious landing exercise,” said Lance Cpl. Obed Alvarez an AAV crewman, with 3rd AAV. “One group of AAVs will be conducting a live-fire training event.”

Cobra Gold is designed to improve the capability to plan and conduct combined-joint operations, build relationships between partner nations, and improve interoperability across the range of military operations.

“During the exercise we will conduct training with various units from different countries,” said Gates. “This is important because it allows us to teach one another how we conduct training and better understand our counterparts.”

• Date Taken: 02.03.2014
• Date Posted: 03.12.2014 23:55
• Story ID: 121920
• Location: CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, JP