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Master Sgt. Michael J. Decker, Current Operations Chief, discusses the closing evolutions of Exercise Eager Lion 2016, in Amman, Jordan, May 24, with his Jordanian Armed Forces counterpart and Master Sgt. Linda K. Junjak, the Current Operations SNCOIC and Texarkana. A new administrative order MARADMIN 016/06 allows reservists to conduct annual training in an imminent danger pay area.

Photo by Master Sgt. William Price

Marine Reserves roar in kingdom of Jordan's Eager Lion 2016

24 May 2016 | Master Sgt. William Price The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

Marine reservists from Marine Corps Forces Reserves recently took advantage of a new administrative order that allows them to conduct annual training in an imminent danger pay area, during Exercise Eager Lion 2016, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, conducted May 15-24.

MARADMIN 016/16 announced a change to DoD policy for Reserve Component and allows MARFORRES personnel to perform their Annual Training (AT) and provide individual or unit readiness training; support to mission requirements, (i.e., Operational Support) as may occur as a consequence of performing AT. 

"Exercise Eager Lion was a fantastic opportunity to work at the operational level in an environment that reflects the way we as Marines have conducted warfare over the past 25 years,” said Lance Cpl. Colton A. Thompson, a Force Protection Intelligence Analyst and native of Lakeland, Fla. “Eager Lion has not only exposed me to working in a joint-operational setting with our other U.S. military branches, but it has also allowed me the privilege of getting to work with our allied forces.”

Eager Lion 16, one of U.S. Central Command’s premiere exercises, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, About 3,000 U.S. military personnel – representing USCENTCOM headquarters and its components – are currently supporting the exercise, mirrored by an equal number of Jordanian Armed Forces soldiers. 

To fill the number of billets to support an exercise of this magnitude, military planners had to think outside of the box, and MARADMIN 016/06 provided the manpower Eager Lion needed to roar.

"When shortfalls were published in January by 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, as part of Force Headquarters Group operations, we took it for action to fill critical billets from within the MARFORRES community,” said Master Sgt. Michael J. Decker, EL-16 Current Operations Chief, and a Kingston, N.Y. native. “This enabled our major subordinate elements to be gainfully employed while fulfilling several shortfalls within 5th MEB in support of EL-16 due to concurrent real word operations... a win on all fronts." 

The MARFORRES Marines with FHG out of New Orleans, were quick to provide pivotal billets such as: Embarkation NCO, Current Operations Chief, Intelligence Analyst, Manpower/Protocol Officer, Surface Movement Coordinator and Civil Affairs Operations Officer.

"This annual training has been the most beneficial AT I have been part of. I was able to gain hands-on experience within my MOS, executing real-life tasks alongside the notional tasks supporting the exercise,” Lance Cpl. David A.Thigpen, an Embarkation NCO, and native of Jackson, Miss. “I was able to learn more from being a part of Eager Lion, than I have doing any homesite AT since I have moved into embarkation."

Eager Lion 2016 consisted of a 10-day series of simulated scenarios to facilitate a coordinated partnered military response to conventional and unconventional threats. The scenarios developed will include border security, command and control, cyber defense and battle space management.

"This was a unique opportunity to train with our sister-service and Jordanian counterparts in a joint environment and realize functioning as one team, one fight,” said Capt. Samuel K. Kennedy, a Manpower/Protocol officer, and Robertsdale, Ala. native. “The Marine reservists participating in Exercise Eager Lion came hungry to validate their capabilities while contributing to the greater whole."
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