Cobra Gold 16: Promoting peace in pacific

11 Feb 2016 | Lance Cpl. Jessica Etheridge The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

The 35th iteration of Exercise Cobra Gold 2016 begins with a display of multi-national forces in the opening ceremony at Sattahip Naval Base, Thailand, Feb. 9, 2016.

During the next 10 days partnering nations will increase the capabilities to conduct combined joint operations as well as achieve effective solutions to common challenges.

“Cobra Gold secures the future by supporting stability, interoperability, readiness and fostering effective peace keeping mission,” said Glyn T. Davies, the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand. 

Cobra Gold is the largest combined task-force exercise in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and is designed to improve the capabilities of participating nations to conduct operations such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

“With the Humanitarian Civic Action, the Multination Medical Symposium and the Non-combatant Evacuation Exercise we are only improving our response to any future disasters,” said Sgt. Jessica Brisbin, an airframe mechanic with Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “With the earthquake recently in Nepal, we can see how important it is to be able to train and prepare ourselves for these types of situations.”

Coming together the partner nations will increase skills and knowledge with advancing regional security and ensuring effective responses to regional crises.

“Participating in Cobra Gold helps demonstrate our commitment to maintaining the readiness of security as well as our humanitarian interest to our partnering nations in the region,” said Brisbin. 

The participants will also improve the quality of life, as well as the general health and welfare of civilian residents in the regional area, building on the commitment to bettering the Indo-Asia-Pacific.

“Thailand and the United States have been treaty allies since 1954 and with a glorious past it now sits on a strong foundation,” said Davies. “That foundation allows us to look to the future with confidence.”