Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Madailein Abbott | 170711-N-WJ640-021 NOUMEA, New Caledonia (July 11, 2017) Willie Watkins, Able-Bodied...... read more read more
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NOUMEA, New Caledonia - Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2) departed New Caledonia July 11 in support of Koa Moana 17 (Ocean Warrior).
The USNS Sacagawea is a Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ship, which provides ammunition, food, repair parts, stores and small quantities of fuel for the U.S. Marine Corps as well as other military service branches. The ship can also be tasked to respond in a disaster in the form of providing equipment and supplies to a target area.
U.S. Marines embarked onboard USNS Sacagawea returned after two weeks of field training events with the French Armed Forces New Caledonia. French Armed Forces service members also embarked on the USNS Sacagawea to travel to the next phase of exercise Koa Moana in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
“We had a great time with the French Armed Forces during this phase of the exercise,” said 1st Lt. Andrew Buck, assigned to 3rd Battalion 4th Marines (3/4), 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. “We did some kayaking, hiking, and also a night raid, which was beneficial for everyone when it comes to training. They put on a good course for us, which was great.”
The Koa Moana exercise series seeks to enhance senior military leader engagements between allied and partner nations with a collective interest in military-to-military relations and to discuss key aspects of military operations, capability development, and interoperability.
From June-September 2017 U.S. Marines from 3/4, stationed out of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in Calif., and Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, from Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Marine Corps Bases Japan in Okinawa have embarked aboard the USNS Sacagawea to participate in Koa Moana 17 events in Kiribati, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
USNS Sacagawea is part of Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron THREE and operated by MSC, which operates approximately 120 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy Ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by U.S. forces and coalition partners.
“Everyone did a good job here in New Caledonia,” said 1st Lt. W. Stone Holden, assigned to 3/4. “The French forces were able to help us with some shortfalls we had with getting moved around a bit, but overall everything went well and we look forward to working with them again at our next destination and onboard the ship.”
In the next phase of the Koa Moana 17 exercise the ship and embarked U.S. Marines and French military forces will depart in Nuku’alofa, Tonga for joint field operations.
| Date Taken: | 07.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.13.2017 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 240583 |
| Location: | NOUMEA, NC |
| Web Views: | 295 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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