OKINAWA, Japan -- Marines and Sailors with 3rd Marine Logistics Group and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 are conducting Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations training on islands around Okinawa, Japan, during exercise Poseidon’s Watchtower from June 2-17.
Poseidon’s Watchtower serves as an opportunity to rehearse both Naval integration and EABO, with Marines and Sailors from 3rd Landing Support Battalion and 9th Engineer Support Battalion working alongside NMCB-4 Sailors, known as Seabees, to simulate reconnoitering and establishing expeditionary advanced bases on the islands of Ukibaru and Irisuna off the coast of Okinawa.
During the exercise, Marines with 3rd LSB and 9th ESB will support a contingent of Navy Seabees constructing a main bunker on Irisuna Island, along with decoy bunkers dispersed across the island. Construction materials and equipment will be delivered via amphibious warships and landing craft air cushion hovercraft, which will allow the Seabees and 3rd LSB to exercise littoral operations with the greater 7th Fleet forces in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, Marines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 will support transportation of equipment and materials to and from Irisuna island via CH-53 Sea Stallion aircraft external sling lifts.
“Poseidon’s Watchtower gives the naval expeditionary forces an outstanding opportunity to refine naval concepts...” Lt. Cmdr. Troy Bischak, NMCB-4 operations officer
Meanwhile, on Ukibaru island, a Marine Corps-Navy engineer reconnaissance team will reconnoiter the island and conduct hydrographic surveys with Navy divers from Underwater Construction Team 2. This experimentation will further assess support required to establish an expeditionary maritime refueling and resupply point for future light amphibious warships, unmanned undersea vehicles, and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems.
Poseidon’s Watchtower builds on the success and lessons the naval engineering force experienced during 9th ESB’s Pacific Pioneer in April, in which naval engineers performed expeditionary construction in a distributed maritime environment.
“Poseidon’s Watchtower gives the naval expeditionary forces an outstanding opportunity to refine naval concepts such as the recently released Tentative Manual for EABO,” said Lt. Cmdr. Troy Bischak, operations officer for NMCB-4. “Operating in a littoral environment with no existing logistical infrastructure will require the unique skill sets that only the Navy-Marine Corps Team can bring to support Fleet maneuver, fires, and logistics from the littorals.”
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Photo by Sgt. Hailey Clay
U.S. Navy BM2 Truong Le, boatswain’s mate with Naval Beach Unit 7, secures a pallet onto a Landing Craft Air Cushion with a cargo net on Naval Base White Beach, Okinawa, Japan, June 1, 2021. Marines from 3d MLG and Sailors from NBU-7 integrated to load and transport personnel and equipment in support of exercise Poseidon’s Watchtower. NBU-7 is an operational, forward deployed unit that directly contributes to the core capabilities of U.S. Maritime Sea Power by facilitating the movement of troops, equipment, vehicles and supplies from amphibious shipping across the beach. 3d MLG, based out of Okinawa, Japan, is a forward deployed combat unit that serves as III MEF’s comprehensive logistics and combat service support backbone for operations throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. Le is a native of Sacramento, California.
Where the Marines led the charge during Pacific Pioneer, the Seabees will sit at the helm during Poseidon’s Watchtower. NMCB-4, based out of Naval Base Ventura County, is commanded by CDR Troy Brown. The Silverton, Oregon, native says that he looks forward to testing some of the concepts that the naval service is working in the National-Capital Region with some additional capabilities from throughout the AOR.
“Our Seabees have worked closely with 3rd MLG Marines and Sailors throughout our deployment to ensure we remain a ready to Fight Now, stand-in Naval Construction Force,” said Brown. “I have been continually impressed with the ability of our Sailors and Marines to integrate and overcome operational challenges as a team. I expect to see the same during Poseidon’s Watchtower as we demonstrate the tight integration of naval forces in support of a maritime campaign.”
3rd MLG, based out of Okinawa, Japan, is a forward-deployed combat unit that serves as III MEF’s comprehensive logistics and combat service support backbone for operations throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.