Photo Information

Lance Cpl. Christopher Duffourc, 21, of Lockhart, Texas, fires a wire-guided missile at a range here Dec. 13 as Sgt. Roberto Colon of New Jersey stands by as a position safety officer. Duffourc and Colon are serving with the Magnificent Bastards, the ground-combat element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Scott Dunn

Exercise in Arabian Gulf ends with a bang

15 Dec 2009 | 11th MEU Public Affairs 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit

More than 700 Marines and Sailors disembarked two Navy ships, trained alongside the host nation’s Marine Corps and wrapped up a weeklong exercise Dec. 15.

The aviation combat element, ground combat element and logistics combat elements of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit trained with the host nation’s Marine forces, firing a host of weapons and artillery, integrating aviation and learning basic lifesaving techniques.

“We were fortunate to be truly engaged in such valuable bilateral training,” said Col. Andrew Wilcox, commanding officer of the 11th MEU’s ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team 2/4 - known as the Magnificent Bastards.

The exercise culminated with a combined-arms live-fire demonstration that included rotary wing close air support by helicopter gunships, armored maneuver by amphibious vehicles, breaching explosives, laser-guided anti-tank missiles and a combined ground attack of an objective.


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