15th MEU Strengthens Relationships, Completes ACDC in Philippines

From the Defense Visual Information Distribution System (May 29, 2024): 15th MEU Strengthens Relationships, Completes ACDC in Philippines (Gunnery Sgt. Donald Holbert)

Photo By Cpl. Joseph Helms | U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jonah Hendrickson, a rifleman assigned to Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Tennessee, patrols with U.S. Marines and Philippine Marines assigned to Marine Battalion Landing Team 3 during Archipelagic Costal Defense Continuum at San Vicente, Palawan, Philippines, May 21, 2024. ACDC is a series of bilateral exchanges and training opportunities between U.S. Marines and Philippine Marines aimed at bolstering the Philippine Marine Corps’ Coastal Defense strategy while supporting modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms)

PUERTO PRINCESA, PHILIPPINES
05.29.2024
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Donald Holbert
15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – Elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit completed their participation in Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum May 24 on the island of Palawan, Philippines.

The 15th MEU participated in bilateral training events as part of ACDC alongside the Philippine Marine Corps’ 3rd Marine Brigade from May 13-24.

The 15th MEU’s forces consisted of Marines and Sailors from Battalion Landing Team 1/5, Combat Logistics Battalion 15, and the MEU's Reconnaissance Company assigned to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49).

ACDC is a series of bilateral exchanges and training opportunities between U.S. Marines and Philippine Marines aimed at bolstering the Philippine Marine Corps’ Coastal Defense strategy while supporting the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

During the exercise, the 15th MEU and 3MBDE conducted two large-scale coastal defense mission rehearsals.

The first mission rehearsal featured the rapid movement and emplacement of a coastal area defense against an impending enemy beach landing at a distant location. U.S. Marines from Weapons Company, BLT 1/5, and CLB-15 partnered with Philippines Marines from 3MBDE to conduct integrated planning, reconnaissance, small-unit rehearsals, and a confirmation brief before what would be the largest combined military convoy to date on Palawan, covering 54 kilometers with 17 vehicles and over 80 mounted personnel.

“This was the first time we’ve had U.S. and Philippine tactical vehicles conduct such a large movement across the Island of Palawan,” said 1st Lt. Robert Lebron, a platoon commander assigned to CLB-15, 15th MEU, and the lead U.S. planner for the convoy. “The exercise was a demonstration to the people of Palawan not only of the strong relationship between the Philippine and U.S. Marine Corps, but also of the desire and the commitment to continue working on our ironclad alliance.”

U.S. and Philippine Marine Corps representatives also conducted numerous bilateral subject matter expert exchanges covering a wide range of topics such as defensive tactics, weapons employment, obstacle emplacement, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) integration and countermeasures, tactical combat casualty care, motorized operations, support to maritime domain awareness, noncombatant evacuation operations, and more.

“Through working side by side with the Philippine Marine Corps, we learned how to refine our own tactics, techniques, and procedures to more effectively integrate with our partners,” said Sgt. Michael Panagos, a section leader assigned to Combined Anti-Armor Team 1, Weapons Company, BLT 1/5, and a participant of an urban operations subject matter expert exchange. “Being able to learn and share knowledge in realistic training scenarios allowed all of us to come out sharper.”

During the second combined mission rehearsal, and the culminating event for the 15th MEU during ACDC, U.S. Marines assigned to Alpha Company, BLT 1/5, and the MEU's Maritime Reconnaissance Platoon partnered with Philippine Marines assigned to 3MBDE to act as a combined mobile striking force for retaking key terrain from a recently landed enemy. During the event, the partner forces conducted a combination of sea and land maneuvers supported by 3MBDE patrol boats, combat rubber raiding craft, and light armored vehicles to isolate and contain the enemy forces at their landing site. Once ready, the combined force assaulted with U.S. and Philippine infantry to regain the key terrain.

The training exercise was capped by a warrior’s night for U.S. and Philippine Marines near the 3rd Marine Battalion headquarters at San Vicente, a closing ceremony at Philippine Marine Base Rodolfo in Puerto Princesa, and a tour for 3MBDE and local government leaders aboard the Harpers Ferry.
“Our forces, our capabilities, and our shared professional culture are highly complementary. When our two forces come together, train together, and learn together, as we were able to do here, the result is a combined force that's even stronger than the sum of its parts,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, commanding officer of BLT 1/5 and the commander of exercise forces on Palawan Province during ACDC. “Every time we train together, we learn how to better integrate even further, and I think we really advance our shared ability to provide the U.S.-Philippine alliance with a well-tested combined force. Now, as we continue to develop our integrated coastal defense and counter-landing capabilities, I'm very excited for what we'll be able to do together.”

The training conducted by 15th MEU and 3MBDE during ACDC has enhanced the readiness of U.S. and Philippine forces to address future crises, contingencies, and disasters while also strengthening both nations’ abilities to collaborate closely in protecting their mutual interests.

The 15th MEU is under the command and control of Commander, Task Force 76/3, which the U.S. 7th Fleet employs to cooperate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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