15th MEU Marines participate in bilateral exercise with French forces in Djibouti

21 Sep 2015 | 1st Lt. Allison Burgos The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

Elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are scheduled to participate in a bilateral training exercise with the French 5th Overseas Combined Arms Regiment (RIAOM) from September 21 – October 10 aboard Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

The Marines participating in the course are from the 15th MEU’s Force Reconnaissance Detachment and Delta Company, Light Armored Reconnaissance Detachment, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, as well as elements from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (Reinforced). 

This training is scheduled to last for approximately three weeks and will test the Marines’ and French soldiers physical abilities, individual desert survival skills, team and unit skills, and include a final live-fire exercise. There will also be bilateral parachute and aviation training at multiple locations surrounding CLDJ. 

In addition to individual and unit training, this course provides an opportunity to enhance interoperability and partnership between U.S. and French forces.

This is the latest bilateral exercise between U.S. Marines and RIAOM at CLDJ, the last of which occurred in 2015 with the 24th MEU.

The 15th MEU provides a forward deployed, flexible sea-based Marine air-ground task force capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations, to include designed special operations, in order to support the theater requirements of geographic combatant commanders. The 15th MEU is currently deployed aboard the ships of Essex Amphibious Ready Group.

For more information, contact the 15th MEU Public Affairs Office: brian.block@essex.usmc.mil or allison.burgos@anchorage.usmc.mil