MilitarySpot.com

Serving the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard

Follow MilitarySpot:
 
  • Home
  • Enlist
    • Join The Army
    • Join The Navy
    • Join The Air Force
    • Join The Marines
    • Join The Coast Guard
    • Join The National Guard
    • ASVAB
    • Army Physical Fitness Test
    • Military Draft
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
  • Career
    • Join the Military
    • Jobs for Military and Civilians
    • Career Center
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
    • Criminal Justice
  • Education
    • Online Schools
    • Spouse Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
    • Military Schools
    • Criminal Justice
  • Benefits
    • Army Benefits
    • Navy Benefits
    • Air Force Benefits
    • Marine Corps Benefits
    • National Guard Benefits
    • Coast Guard Benefits
    • Veteran Benefits
    • Basic Pay Rates
    • Allowances
    • Special & Incentive Pay
    • Military Spouse Education Benefits
    • VA Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
  • News
    • Headline News
  • Finance
    • Debt Relief
    • Military Pay Rates
    • Military Personal Loans
    • VA Loans
    • Military Star Card
    • Military MyPay
  • Spouses
    • School Finder
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • PCS, DITY, & Moving
    • Pay Rates
    • MyCAA
    • Education Benefits
  • Community
    • Military Games
    • Military Reunions
    • Classifieds
    • Photo Gallery
    • Buddy Finder
    • MilitarySpot Pinups
    • Military Bases
  • Resources
    • Military Alphabet
    • Military Reunions
    • Military Acronyms
    • Currency Converter
    • Military Tools
    • Ranks
    • Military Time
    • Military Tactics
    • Military Discounts
    • Military Games
    • Military Videos
    • Photo Gallery
    • Infographics
    • How To
  • Travel

Coalition Forces Conduct Exercise Black Alligator

Exercise Black Alligator

SEPTEMBER 22, 2016, MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – As the Marines approached the hill overlooking the combat town, machine-gunners took their positions to provide suppressive fire while engineers and rifleman made their advance on the facility. As the Marine Corps’ premier combined-arms, live-fire training installation, this style of training is routine at the Combat Center. However, this exercise was made unique by the country the combatants serve. In support of Exercise Black Alligator 16, the Combat Center is hosting 40 Commando Brigade of the British Royal Marines, comprised of more than 1,000 British Royal Marines and 150 Dutch Royal Army soldiers, for the duration of the 45-day training exercise that began Aug. 24, 2016.

“Black Alligator is two things principally,” said Capt. Simon Long, training officer, 40 Commando. “It’s a force-generation exercise, which allows us to develop our training all the way from squad-level to battle-group size live-fire, and it’s also a great opportunity to integrate with the U.S. Marines Corps and conduct joint training.”

With the end goal of achieving battalion-level live-fire in a combined-arms environment, Black Alligator incorporates all assets ranging from infantry and engineers to artillery and close-air support. Each element is tested through a series of validation ranges before they are brought together as a single fighting force.

“We start at the squad-level before moving up to the platoon level,” Long said. “While that is going, we have a lot of different elements holding specialty-arms training; our mortars are doing mortar concentration, our artillery is doing artillery concentration, and our engineers are down in [Marine Corps Base] Camp Pendleton conducting training with 1st [Combat Engineer Battalion.] We then progress and combine those elements in combined-arms live-fire at the end.”

Throughout the exercise, more than 300 U. S. Marines, including artillerymen, engineers and tankers conducted training alongside the coalition forces.

“U.S. and Royal Marines train side-by-side in several events during Exercise Black Alligator,” said U.S. Marine Capt. Andrew Mirsch, exercise officer, G-3 Operations, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command. “The most significant combined training events are the Combined-Arms Live-Fire Exercise (CALFEX) and Final Training Exercise (FINEX).”

CALFEX, scheduled for Sept. 28 through Oct. 1, brings all the training together with a combined-arms live-fire attack that incorporates infantry, engineers, artillery, mortars, tanks and aviation fires. FINEX has a different focus, tasking the joint force with a clear-in-zone mission against an opposition force of U.S. Marine Corps role-players at Range 220, the Combat Center’s largest Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain facility.

“[These exercises are] where we really test the commando both at the tactical level with the individuals on the ground all the way through with the decision making and of the highest levels of command,” Long said. “We can do things out here that we can’t do in the UK. While we don’t have live-fire urban compounds, we can test all the way up to company and battle-group level.”

According to Mirsch, the Combat Center provided the critical life support, logistics and infrastructure necessary to execute an exercise of this size. This included a variety of equipment drawn from MAGTFTC’s Enhanced Equipment Allocation Pool.

“The equipment drawn by 40 Commando from the EEAP is particularly important to this exercise,” Mirsch said. “It mitigates the need for British exercise forces to ship a battalion reinforced-sized gear set to [the Combat Center] from the U.K.”

Exercise Black Alligator is held annually and will continue to promote operational forces readiness as well as strengthen relationships with coalition partners.

“Most importantly this is an opportunity to come out here and really train as we fight in austere desert environments while working alongside the U.S. Marine Corps,” Long said. “We are really fortunate to receive support from 1st Tank [Battalion] and Charlie Battery with [1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment] alongside other assets. Black Alligator is a great opportunity to train as we fight but also to fight alongside our USMC brothers.”

Comments

Filed Under: News

  • News
  • Enlist
  • Education
  • Career
  • Finance

Fort Bragg Renamed to Fort Liberty

JUNE 3, 2023 – Hundreds of veterans, dignitaries, and military Family members joined at the Main Post Flagpole to witness Fort Bragg’s historic redesignation to Fort Liberty at 9 a.m. June 2. The Defense Department last year approved proposals to remove the names of Confederate officers from nine military bases, including Fort Bragg and Fort […]

Reserves Offer $10K Bonus for Prior-Service Enlisted Airmen

APRIL 5, 2023 – To remain competitive in a tight labor market and retain valuable talent, Air Force Reserve Command is offering a $10,000 incentive bonus to fully-qualified, prior-service enlisted Airmen who sign up to fill open positions and agree to a three-year service commitment. One of several incentives available to those who join the […]

Junior at DoD Education Activity High School Wins Second Place

MAY 23, 2023 – Mckenzie Mitchell, a junior at a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) high school, recently was honored in the 61st annual National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) for her research on depression in flies. JSHS is a Department of Defense-sponsored event administered by the National Science Teaching Association which encourages […]

How to Use Your Military Background to the Fullest

MAY 23, 2023 – For many veterans, transitioning from military to civilian life can be a daunting task. While the skills and experiences gained during military service are valuable, translating them into a successful civilian career can be challenging. However, with the right mindset and approach, veterans can use their military background to their advantage. […]

DOD Updates Overseas Cost-of-Living Allowance Adjustment Process

MAY 3, 2023 – The Overseas Cost-of-Living Allowance (OCOLA) is an allowance that ensures our Service members who are assigned to a permanent duty station outside the contiguous U.S. (OCONUS) (i.e., foreign countries, U.S. territories, Alaska, and Hawaii) maintain the same level of purchasing power as Service members stationed in CONUS locations — not less […]

Recent Posts

  • Fort Bragg Renamed to Fort Liberty
  • 2023 Hurricane Season Begins
  • Defense Leaders Discuss Progress on Alliance with Japan
  • Guard Takes Holistic Approach to Fitness
  • WLEF Event Affects Cultural Change
MAINMENU




SITESEARCH
Can't find something? Try using our site search to dig through our entire site.



Still having trouble? Try the Advanced Search to refine your searches.
NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE
Sign Up To Receive Information, Updates and Special Officers from MilitarySpot.com.



Don't miss an issue! Jump in the Newsletter Archives to catch up on previous issues.
FOLLOWMILITARY SPOT

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & StumbleUpon and more. Keep up with MilitarySpot.com news & updates. We also have an RSS Feed.

Advertise | About | Contact | Feedback | Unsubscribe | DMCA | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
 
Copyright 2004-2023 Sun Key Publishing. All Rights Reserved.



 
This is not the official recruiting website of the U.S. Military. The site you are on is run by Sun Key Publishing, a private company, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with the U.S. Military.