MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER, Calif. -- The biggest Marine Forces Reserve exercise of the year kicked off as the first of several reserve units arrived on deck to begin training June 12.
The exercise is Javelin Thrust 2010, which is an annual exercise conducted by MARFORRES in several different locations in the Southwest. This year, more than 4,500 Marines from ground combat, logistical and air wing units will be participating in the training, which will resemble a Marine Air Ground Task Force operating in Afghanistan, in terms of both terrain and mission objectives.
“This is really the only time that all of the units train together as a MAGTAF,” said Lt. Col. James King, the exercises’ lead planner, explaining the importance of the exercise.
The Marines participating in Javelin Thrust will spread across several different locations, to include the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif., Hawthorne Army Weapons Depot in Hawthorne, Nev., and Naval Air Station Fallon in Fallon, Nev. as the main points of the training. Additionally, training will also be conducted at Fort Sill, Okla., Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Ill., Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas and the Marine Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.
The variety of exercise locations will have the Marine training in desert and mountainous terrain as well as elevations ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 feet, spread across 180 square miles.
“The terrain affords the Marines a chance to train in a completely different environment than they are used to,” said King. “Marines will learn how the thinner air and mountainous terrain effect movement and communications.”
Each of the units will have a key role in the exercise.
Ground Combat units will utilize the training areas to conduct company and battalion-level combat training missions and prepare for any scheduled or possible deployments to Afghanistan. Logistic units will be responsible for running convoys to transport Marines, as well as keeping Marines fully-supplied for the duration of the exercise.
Air units will assist with transportation, as some locations cannot be reached by vehicle due to the terrain. Additionally, the Air Wing Marines will conduct assault support, door gunnery live-fire and breaching training exercises.
The exercise is scheduled to conclude June 24.
Participating units include:
• 23rd Marine Regiment, San Bruno, Calif.
• 14th Marine Regiment, Ft. Worth, Texas
• Marine Air Group 49, Willow Grove, Penn.
• Headquarters and Service Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Battalion, Marietta, Ga.
• 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Fort Devens, Mass.
• 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Battle Creek, Mich.
• 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, Belle Chasse, La.
• 6th Communications Battalion, Brooklyn, N.Y.