CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Logistics is the pacing function of expeditionary operations. Before a rifleman can eliminate a target, an infantry company can secure an objective, or the Marine Corps can train shoulder-to-shoulder with allies and partners, sustainment and equipment must be readily available at the right place and right time.
U.S. Marines and Sailors alongside their Armed Forces of the Philippines counterparts and civilian entities, conducted a Maritime Prepositioning Force offload to prepare equipment and sustainment for Exercise Balikatan 2026, March 1-28.
The prepositioning operation showcased effective military-to-civilian and ally-to-ally collaboration. Months of planning between multiple U.S. Marine Corps commands, the AFP, port authorities, and local transportation contractors culminated in the movement and arrival of the USNS Sgt. William W. Seay (T-AKR 302) to the Cagayan de Oro port carrying equipment vital to supporting BK26.
Following the successful maritime movement, participants rapidly offloaded equipment from the vessel to the port and onto contracted host-nation barges for northbound distribution to Subic Bay and follow-on issuance to units participating in BK26.
“MPF operations are a unique capability of the Marine Corps,” said Col. Coby Moran, officer in charge of the MPF offload. “They allow us to deliver capabilities anywhere in the world, providing critical combat power to Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanders.”
A testament to this logistical flexibility and the strengthening relationship with the AFP, this maritime prepositioning operation marked the first time equipment was offloaded in Mindanao. Expanding the network of logistical chains provides operational flexibility for exercises, crises, and contingency while deepening military-civilian economic relationships across the archipelago.
Reflecting on this bilateral achievement, Moran remarked, “It’s been rewarding to see us develop those ties here with the local population and here with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”
2nd Lt. Ji Yeon Kim, camp commandant and officer in charge of security forces, shared a similar experience.
“On the ground, I made good friends with lieutenants from the AFP,” said Kim. “We were solving problems on the lowest level possible, and I was learning how the AFP operates while building relationships – it was a great experience.”
The equipment and sustainment resources offloaded will be utilized for training during BK26. While supporting the exercise, the offload also rehearsed the U.S. Marine Corps’ ability to rapidly surge sustainment and equipment during crises and contingencies.
Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the AFP and U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force, and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability.
Media interested in more information on BK26 should contact the Exercise Balikatan media officers at Balikatan_media@usmc.mil.
For more information, photos, and stories about BK26, please visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/Balikatan.