Ropes and Radios: 7th Communication Battalion Marines test endurance and connectivity in jungles of Okinawa

02 December 2025

From 2nd Lt. Lea Pohalski, III MEF Information Group

OKINAWA, Japan — Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, completed a weeklong field communications exercise at the Jungle Warfare Training Center, strengthening their ability to install, operate and maintain tactical networks in austere terrain while sharpening basic infantry tactics and skills.

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U.S. Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, maneuver through chest deep water during Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III at Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025. The exercise enhanced Marines’ ability to install, operate, and maintain tactical communications architecture while strengthening leadership, teamwork, and expeditionary readiness in support of III MEF operations across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Meshaq Hylton)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Brandon Aguilar, a native of California and a satellite communications operator maintainer with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, patrols on an obstacle course during Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III at Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025. The exercise enhanced Marines’ ability to install, operate, and maintain tactical communications architecture while strengthening leadership, teamwork, and expeditionary readiness in support of III MEF operations across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Meshaq Hylton)

U.S. Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, conduct an obstacle course during Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III at Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025. The exercise enhanced Marines’ ability to install, operate, and maintain tactical communications architecture while strengthening leadership, teamwork, and expeditionary readiness in support of III MEF operations across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Meshaq Hylton)

U.S. Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, patrol on an obstacle course during Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III at Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025.

OKINAWA, Japan (Nov. 4, 2025) — U.S. Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, patrol on an obstacle course during Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III at Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025. The exercise enhanced Marines’ ability to install, operate, and maintain tactical communications architecture while strengthening leadership, teamwork, and expeditionary readiness in support of III MEF operations across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Meshaq Hylton)

From Oct. 30 to Nov. 7, 7th Communication Battalion executed Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III, a communication exercise designed to refine fieldcraft, reinforce expeditionary advanced base operations concepts, and build platoon-level cohesion across three dispersed sites. The training placed Marines in steep terrain, humid conditions and limited mobility, environmental factors that stress-test both communications architecture and the Marines who sustain it.

Throughout the week, Marines conducted patrols, contact drills, camouflage application and communications sustainment tasks, maneuvering gear through steep and muddy terrain. Training also included a jungle endurance obstacle course featuring rope crossings, flooded tunnels and low crawls, reinforcing physical toughness and small-unit leadership.

The exercise supported III MEF’s requirement to generate forces capable of sustaining secure, resilient communications across dispersed nodes. 7th Communication Battalion’s main effort maintained a communications architecture connecting all three sites with VHF, UHF, HF, RRK and VoIP services, while Marines simultaneously completed more than 10 battle skills training classes at each location during the week.

Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III demonstrated 7th Communication Battalion’s ability to sustain expeditionary communications while simultaneously building the endurance, teamwork and tactical proficiency required for distributed operations across the Indo-Pacific.