Luzon, Philippines—Members of the 1st Marine Air Wing, 3D Marine Division, the Philippine Marine Corps and the Philippine Air Force marked the successful completion of 24 days of bilateral training and increased interoperability during the Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 19.1 at Basa Air Base, Naval Education Training Center (NETC), and Marine Base Gregorio Lim (MGBL) from Jan. 16 to Feb. 8, 2019.
MASA 19.1 is a semiannual U.S.-Philippine military bilateral training exercise focused on a variety of missions, including mutual defense, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The exercise highlighted the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military’s longstanding relationship as friends, partners, and allies and their ability to contribute to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. This exercise increased overall U.S. and Philippine readiness and cooperation, allowing both forces to plan, coordinate, and train together to prepare for potential real world events.