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FORT BONIFACIO, Philippines - U.S. and Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel celebrated the conclusion of Amphibious Landing Exercise 2012 during a closing ceremony at Fort Bonifacio Oct. 28.
The ceremony culminated the 12-day exercise where Marines and sailors from 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and service members from the AFP trained together to improve interoperability, increase combat readiness and continue to build professional relationships between the two countries.
Throughout the exercise, AFP and U.S. personnel conducted different training evolutions including an amphibious mechanized raid, boat raid, jungle warfare training and a variety of air training missions.
In addition, exercise participants completed a series of civil-military operations, including engineering, dental and medical civic action projects.
“We conducted two engineering [civic] action [programs], three medical [civic] action projects, where we treated a total of 4,260 patients, and three dental [civic] action projects, where we treated 852 patients,” said Capt. Alistair E. Howard, 3rd MEB civil affairs team leader overseeing the projects.
Other civic action projects included community relations activities where U.S. service members and their counterparts spent time with local children and interacted with the community throughout Luzon, which is in the northern part of the Philippines.
According to Howard, the U.S. service members distributed more than 1,500 notebooks, 1,000 pens and pencils, and 100 sports balls to various elementary schools during these events.
“We accomplished some great things, and it wasn’t just about the military exercise itself,” said Brig. Gen. Craig Q. Timberlake, commanding general of 3rd MEB. “Yes, we increased interoperability, and yes, we decreased our response time to certain scenarios; but perhaps more importantly, we were also able to conduct some medical and dental projects and serve over 5,000 patients.”
“I am delighted to join you for the closing of yet another successful PHIBLEX exercise, marking the 28th time our two countries have come together for this purpose,” said Harry K. Thomas Jr., the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, during the closing ceremonies.
The keynote speaker, Maj. Gen. Rustico O. Guerrero, the commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, said he was extremely impressed by the performance of both his Marines and U.S. service members.
“I want to share my warmest appreciation for you all,” he said. “I look forward to beautiful meetings and training opportunities in the future.”
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2011 23:33 |
| Story ID: | 79476 |
| Location: | FORT BONIFACIO, PH |
| Web Views: | 236 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Third Marine Expeditionary Brigade brings PHIBLEX 2012 to close, by Cpl Brianna Christensen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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