During Exercise Bold Alligator 17, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps teams train side-by-side with various NATO allies to gain experience with each other in the event of any real-world military operations.
Marines with 2nd Tank Battalion teamed up with members of the French Foreign Legion to conduct a series of notional battle drills during BA 17 at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 28, 2017.
“This is a unique experience for my Marines,” said 1st Lt. Luis Penichet, a platoon commander with the battalion. “They get to see the way other mechanized forces conduct reconnaissance and operate on the battlefield which is something we don’t get to do too often. I’m looking forward to introduce them to different tactics, techniques and procedures.”
This training is essential to integrate the FFL and 2nd Tanks in the event the two armed forces work together again in a combat environment.
“In today’s world, we’re continuing to work with coalition forces around the world,” said Penichet. “We may work with the French in future, so having this opportunity to work with the FFL and learn about their culture and see how they train only makes us more prepared to work together in the future.”
The training, which formally began prior to the tank range, is aimed at increasing expeditionary readiness for the Marines involved.
“We managed to successfully conduct an amphibious operation by transporting our tanks from ship to shore and once we got on the beach we maneuvered to [the training area],” said Penichet. “With that amphibious landing, we are honing our skills on amphibious readiness and combat readiness overall.”
U.S. Marines and Sailors continue to integrate with NATO allies during Bold Alligator to hone the necessary skills to complete any joint mission they may face while overseas in the future.