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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marine Corps Installations West conducted Exercise Semper Durus 2025 from May 19-22, reinforcing the regional command’s mission to protect installations, support operational forces, and maintain readiness in a dynamic threat environment by including scenarios based on threat activity seen across the region.
Semper Durus is a full-scale regional command training and interoperability exercise designed to enhance emergency preparedness and rapid response capabilities across multiple Marine Corps installations. Participating installations included Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms.
“Exercise Semper Durus is critical due to the overall mission of MCIWEST. Our focus is to support I MEF operations and training. Semper Durus allows us the opportunity to test the region’s ability to support I MEF during a contested deployment,” said Jeffery Williams, director of operations and plans.
Each installation worked through its respective emergency operations center, communicating actions of scenario updates to MCIWEST leadership to maintain effective command and control and ensure regional commanders remain informed. Throughout the exercise, installations responded to a wide range of simulated crises, including active shooter incidents, train derailments and chemical spills, drone incursions, unauthorized base access, improvised explosive devices, conflicting information and public concerns. The goal was to challenge both command structures and on-the-ground personnel to coordinate effectively and respond decisively under pressure.
“The biggest change from Semper Durus 2024 is the integration of interagency into the exercise design. We believe it is imperative that we have established relationships with Federal, State and Local partners. Their role comes into play when we have scenarios where we need off installation support. This year’s exercise brought the interagency into the battle rhythm on issues that could not be addressed or actioned by Department of Defense forces,” Williams said. Semper Durus 2025 expanded coordination with local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, California Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center.
As threats continue to evolve and become more complex, exercises like Semper Durus help ensure Marine Corps installations are ready to respond quickly and effectively. By training for a wide range of emergencies in a realistic, high-pressure environment, MCIWEST strengthens its ability to safeguard its installations, ensure continuity of operations, and enable the deployment of combat-ready forces.
Semper Durus is more than an exercise—it's a reflection of our enduring commitment to mission readiness and the safety of our installations, Marines, and families. Every scenario we train for brings us closer to ensuring we can respond effectively in the face of any crisis, at any time.
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2025 18:43 |
| Story ID: | 498758 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 77 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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