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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, California (Dec. 16, 2016) -- U.S. Marines and Sailors with I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., returned from a nine-month deployment at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.
The service members were a part of a joint coalition task force composed of all the U.S. services along with personnel from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Latvia and Estonia. During their latest deployment from March to December 2016, Task Force Al-Asad, which has a rotating command, supported the Iraq Security Forces in conducting offensive and defensive operations against enemy forces, which aligned with their mission of building partner capacities, advising, assisting, training and enabling.
“Throughout the deployment, Task Force Al-Asad was responsible for enabling Iraqi Security Forces in operational planning, intelligence and command control… and building partner capacities by training ISF in both wide area security and maneuver operations,” said Lt. Col. Michael Charney, deputy commander, Task Force Al-Asad. “As a result, the ISF cleared and held all major population centers within the Central Euphrates River Valley by the end of the deployment and was postured to continue the offensive to the west.”
Through practice with unmanned aerial vehicle flights to find the enemy, targeting with organic systems and fires through rockets, artillery and aviation, the task force trained thousands of ISF to increase capabilities against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and operational readiness, which resulted in more than 600 strikes against ISIL.
“On a daily basis the Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen of the task force worked to maintain the will and capabilities of the ISF to continue the attack on ISIL,” said Charney. “This task was accomplished through daily interactions with their Iraqi counterparts to ensure they had the required intelligence, planning support, UAV coverage and fires to defeat ISIL in every encounter.”
He said close coordination achieved between the services and different members of the coalition was the key to success in each endeavor.
“Due to the hard work and dedication of the coalition and aggressive spirit of the ISF, the Central Euphrates River Valley from Hit to Haditha was cleared of ISIL,” said Charney.
TF-AA was able return from deployment with their heads held high from their support of the ISF and their role in Operation Inherent Resolve.
“Task Force Al-Asad and the ISF were able to liberate large numbers of people and areas of land, giving Iraqi civilians the opportunity to live without the constant threat of ISIL,” said Charney.
TF-AA will continue to advise and assist the ISF as the next iteration of Marines begins to build partner capacities with their Iraqi counterparts. This partnership of multiple nations will continue to establish theater security in hopes to one day rid the area of enemy insurgencies.
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2016 18:43 |
| Story ID: | 218555 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 264 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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