PHIBLEX a success as PMC, USMC successfully integrate in week-long maneuvers

From the Philippine News Agency (11): PHIBLEX a success as PMC, USMC successfully integrate in week-long maneuvers

Despite ending a day earlier, US 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade commander Brig. Gen. John Jansen called the 33rd iteration of the Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) a success as both sides have successfully integrated with each other during the week-long manuevers.

PHIBLEX started Oct. 4 and was originally scheduled to end on Wednesday but the annual exercises between the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and US Marine Corps (USMC) concluded on Tuesday due to previous commitment of senior military leaders.

"I would also like to say up front what a pleasure it has been working with Major General Andre Costales, the visionary Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps. Sir, I could not think of a finer Marine, a better Marine Corps Officer, or a better partner in which to engage in the endeavor over the past 10 months that has produced a truly remarkable PHIBLEX exercise and your Exercise Director, Brigadier General Maximo Ballesteros has done a wonderful job of making it all happen," he added.

Jansen stressed that the successful conclusion of the PHIBLEX exercises have showcased the brotherhood of the USMC and PMC and their inter-operability and effectiveness as a bilateral rapid response force.

"I have been impressed by the professionalism and capabilities of all of the forces involved. We learn from the Philippine Marines in their superior jungle warfare school and outstanding combat engineering skills as they learn from us on amphibious from the sea operations and integrated fire command and control," he added.

Around 1,400 US military personnel and 500 Filipino troops have participated in the event.

"Our training together as Marines makes us all better Marines and more capable as an inter-operable force that provides the capability that we might apply to our treaty obligations in the future whether it be in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, assistance in internal security, or in other times of crisis as determined by our two great nations," he concluded.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=930498