U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Phil Mayer, and explosive ordnance disposal technician with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa, listens to Moroccan soldiers as they conduct ordnance reconnaissance on an inert mortar during a training exercise in Kenitra, Morocco, March 15, 2016. Students from across the Moroccan military branches are working together with U.S. Marine and Utah Air National Guard explosive ordnance disposal technicians and Utah National Guard engineers to build up Morocco’s demining capabilities. The training is part of the U.S. Humanitarian Mine Action Program which has been assisting partner nations in developing their mine action capacity since 1988. - U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Phil Mayer, and explosive ordnance disposal technician with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa, listens to Moroccan soldiers as they conduct ordnance reconnaissance on an inert mortar during a training exercise in Kenitra, Morocco, March 15, 2016. Students from across the Moroccan military branches are working together with U.S. Marine and Utah Air National Guard explosive ordnance disposal technicians and Utah National Guard engineers to build up Morocco’s demining capabilities. The training is part of the U.S. Humanitarian Mine Action Program which has been assisting partner nations in developing their mine action capacity since 1988.

Marines assigned to India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment show Moroccan Royal Armed Forces artillerymen their howitzer’s capabilities during Exercise African Lion 15, 2015, near Tan Tan, Morocco. - Marines assigned to India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment show Moroccan Royal Armed Forces artillerymen their howitzer’s capabilities during Exercise African Lion 15, 2015, near Tan Tan, Morocco.

U.S. Marine Corps vehicles are lined up for inspection May 9, 2015, at the port of Agadir, Morocco, following a Maritime Prepositioning Force offload in preparation for Exercise African Lion 15. An MPF is a strategic capability that provides commanders with a forward presence and rapid crisis response by offloading combat equipment and supplies from U.S. Military Sealift Command ships to support various units, and will be used to sustain the Marines and service members operating throughout the mission rehearsal. For the offload, Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were joined with Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 453, Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group, as well as sailors with NMCB 11. Exercise African Lion 15 is a combined joint task force exercise conducted in accordance with UN-mandated peace operations with humanitarian assistance themes and emphasizes the strong military bond between U.S. and Moroccan Armed Forces. It creates a foundation for slated inter-military cooperation in the future and improves interoperability between nations, building relationships with this key strategic region within the AFRICOM area of responsibility. - U.S. Marine Corps vehicles are lined up for inspection May 9, 2015, at the port of Agadir, Morocco, following a Maritime Prepositioning Force offload in preparation for Exercise African Lion 15. An MPF is a strategic capability that provides commanders with a forward presence and rapid crisis response by offloading combat equipment and supplies from U.S. Military Sealift Command ships to support various units, and will be used to sustain the Marines and service members operating throughout the mission rehearsal. For the offload, Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were joined with Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 453, Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group, as well as sailors with NMCB 11. Exercise African Lion 15 is a combined joint task force exercise conducted in accordance with UN-mandated peace operations with humanitarian assistance themes and emphasizes the strong military bond between U.S. and Moroccan Armed Forces. It creates a foundation for slated inter-military cooperation in the future and improves interoperability between nations, building relationships with this key strategic region within the AFRICOM area of responsibility.