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LAL-LO, Philippines –The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military are joining forces for the 40th iteration of Exercise Balikatan, with U.S. Marines working alongside the Philippine Marine Corps to enhance force preservation operations at a critical logistics hub in Northern Luzon.
U.S. Marines with Support Company, 4th Law Enforcement Battalion, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, joined Exercise Balikatan 2025 to provide security to U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and the Philippine Marines with 70th Infantry Battalion at Cagayan North International Airport, April 18, 2025.
U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Kevin Gaucher, officer in charge of airfield security, emphasized that the team's mission focused on securing the airfield and managing personnel and vehicle movement during Exercise Balikatan 25.
“We’ve stood up an entry control point for MWSS-174, controlling the movement of vehicles and personnel onto the airfield,” said Gaucher. “We’re also starting roving patrol operations to detect any potential insider threats on base.”
Gaucher, a Denver native in the Marine Corps Reserves, highlighted the importance of training in a region vastly different from the American Midwest, where most of his Marines are stationed, noting that it provides invaluable experience in adapting to diverse environments and enhances their readiness for global operations.
“This environment is very different from where we come from,” he said. “Being on challenging terrain is hugely beneficial. Just knowing what it’s like to operate here is valuable training in itself.”
Exercises like Balikatan help maintain the high-level of combined military readiness required to respond jointly to potential future crises, contingencies, or natural disasters. Realistic training scenarios empower our units to address friction collectively.
Gaucher, who is participating in his first Balikatan, emphasized that the deployment offers more than just tactical preparation; it fosters cultural understanding and mutual respect.
“The thing I enjoy most about the Philippines is bringing my Marines out here and experiencing the culture, interacting with the people as much as we can,” said Gaucher. “It’s also about integrating different strategies and learning from one another, which helps both sides grow.”
Our nations share a common vision for a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific and a free, fair, and equitable international order within the region.
“Balikatan strengthens that ironclad alliance.” said Gaucher. “It’s about building these relationships at the lowest level and carrying them up the chain of command.”
By providing critical security capabilities and facilitating the readiness of reserve forces, 4th LEB directly enhances Balikatan 25’s effectiveness by enforcing ECP protocols and ensuring seamless integration and coordination between U.S. and Philippine forces during the exercise.
Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force, and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability.
| Date Taken: | 04.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2025 20:31 |
| Story ID: | 497112 |
| Location: | LAL-LO, PH |
| Hometown: | DENVER, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 4th Law Enforcement Battalion arrives in Northern Luzon for Exercise Balikatan 25, by GySgt Kai W. Huber, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
