An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means youโ€™ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | June 29, 2015

U.S. Marines Embark on USNS Sacagawea to begin Exercise Koa Moana 15.2

By Cpl. Reba James Marine Rotational Force - Darwin

A platoon of U.S. Marines with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, have been preparing for the bilateral training exercise Koa Moana 15.2 in Dili, East Timor, beginning June 22.

The Marines will highlight the exercise by focusing on the fundamentals of squad and platoon-level tasks with the East Timor Defence Force.

“We are here to conduct a bilateral training evolution and will be training alongside one platoon of the land component of the East Timor Defense Force’s naval force and one platoon of their Marines, which they refer to as F-FDTL (Falintil-Forças de Defesa de Timor Leste),” said 1st Lt. Christopher Wisnowski, 1st platoon commander for Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, MRF – D.

The bilateral training exercise allows the Marines to share their tactics, techniques and procedures with our international partner, strengthening understanding of each other’s standard operating procedures.

“For this training evolution, we will be covering MOUT, which is military operations in urban terrain,” said Wisnowski. “We will be sharing our tactics of MOUT training from an individual level up to the squad level, which includes room clearing, urban patrolling and moving from building to building.”

“I feel like [the exercise] will benefit a lot of the Marines,” said LCpl. Juan Herrera, a rifle team leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, MRF-D and a native of Oakland, California. “Being able to work with another foreign military can be difficult because of a language barrier, but they are open to learning how we conduct training during this exercise. They are disciplined, nice and are good people.”

Aside from the bilateral training, the Marines are experiencing and adapting to ship life aboard the USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE-2) going to and coming from East Timor. The U.S. Navy Dry Cargo/Ammunition ship is part of an initiative to employ alternative sea-based platforms for embarking Marines in addition to traditional amphibious warfare ships to enhance maritime flexibility.

“What’s amazing about this in coming from Marine Rotational Force - Darwin is the ability to get on a platform such as this, the T-AKE (U.S. Navy Dry Cargo/Ammunition) ship, specifically the USNS Sacagawea and project from Darwin to conduct this training here,” said Wisnowski. “It’s been a great experience for the Marines to interact with the civilian mariners on the ship and it shows our ability to use alternate means of transportation to get to places to complete a mission.”

The platoon of Marines taking part in Koa Moana 15.2 demonstrates and establishes how the ground combat element is equipped and organized to carry out national objectives in cooperation with our national and international partners.

“I’m really excited for this and for the Marines, because there are multiple professional development opportunities here,” said Wisnowski. “We are able to get on this alternate shipping platform and experience being on ship, which is a great learning tool for the Marines and also coming here and training with another country provides the opportunity to learn about their history, their growth and development as a military force, and also to experience a different culture than what we are used to coming from the United States.”

“As a part of the MRF-D, we are doing bilateral training more or less in the same manner as we are doing back in Australia with the Australian Army,” added Herrera.

The Marines are scheduled to conduct their bilateral exercise in East Timor and engage with the local community in several opportunities during their stay in the country.
CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
Twitter
348,300
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
U.S. Strengthening Deterrence in Taiwan Strait
The destroyer USS Chung-Hoon observes the Chinese navy destroyer Luyang III executing unsafe maneuvers as the U.S. ship was conducting a routine, south-to-north Taiwan Strait transit alongside the Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal, June 3, 2023.
Sept. 21, 2023 - The Defense Department is working with other government agencies, allies and friends to strengthen deterrence across the Taiwan Strait to ensure peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, Ely Ratner told the House Armed...

Koa Moana Marines Host Puma Training for Palau Maritime Law Enforcement
U.S. Marines with Task Force Koa Moana 23 and Palauan Maritime Law Enforcement Officers pose for a photograph at the conclusion of the Task Force Koa Moana RQ-20B Puma Training Course graduation at the Palau Joint Operations Center, Bureau of Maritime Security and Fish & Wildlife Protection, Koror, Palau, Sept. 14, 2023. Task Force Koa Moana 23, composed of U.S. Marines and Sailors from I Marine Expeditionary Force, deployed to the Indo-Pacific to strengthen relationships with Pacific Island partners through bilateral and multilateral security cooperation and community engagements. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Courtney G. White)
Sept. 21, 2023 - U.S. Marines with Task Force Koa Moana 23 concluded the Task Force Koa Moana RQ-20B Puma Training Course with a graduation ceremony at the Palau Joint Operations Center, Bureau of Maritime Security and Fish & Wildlife...

U.S.-India Relationship Critical to Free, Open Indo-Pacific
U.S. Marines from the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 1st Marines, celebrate the end of a live fire exercise with Indian Army soldiers during exercise Bright Star 2023 in Egypt, Sept. 10, 2023.
Sept. 20, 2023 - A shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific bolsters the U.S.-India relationship as the two countries continue to strengthen defense ties, a senior Pentagon official said...

Innovating Logistics in the Pacific the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade Supports Talisman Sabre 23
The 8th Theater Sustainment Command Commander Maj. Gen. Jered Helwig, highlights key points of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore operation to the Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and other senior leaders during Talisman Sabre 2023 in Bowen, Australia, July 31, 2023. JLOTS demonstrates the critical capability of bringing vehicles and equipment to the shore in austere environments or when port facilities are unavailable. Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States, with multinational participation, advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and enhancing our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns.
Sept. 20, 2023 - The 402nd Army Field Support Brigade (AFSB) deployed in support of the 8th Theater Support Command and Talisman Sabre 23 (TS23) in Australia from June 19 through August 4...

US Army sustainers provide sealift to Australian armor for Super Garuda Shield
Australian Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks and vehicles are unloaded from the United States Army Vessel SSGT Robert T. Kuroda at Tanjung Perak Port in Indonesia during Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2023. At the invitation of Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), Australia is contributing over 125 personnel from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2023 (SGS23). SGS23 is an TNI and United States Indo Pacific Command led bilateral training activity. It is focused on joint operations with international partners in and around East Java in Indonesia from 31 August to 13 September. Held since 2009, the ADF first participated in 2022, and in 2023 is contributing an Australian Army force element including a Troop of M1A1 Abrams tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment. The contingent also includes an Infantry Platoon from the 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australian Regiment, command and control elements, and a range of armoured vehicles, trucks and recovery vehicles. (Photo by Australian Defence Force Cpl. Dustin Anderson)
Sept. 19, 2023 - With Logistics Support Vessel 7 SSGT Robert Kuroda already in Australia for Talisman Sabre 2023, the conditions were set to transport Australian Defence Force tanks and equipment to Indonesia for Super Garuda Shield...