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CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The U.S. Marines and Sailors of Combat Logistics Battalion 13, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group have concluded exercise Koa Moana 24. The exercise, which took place in strategically important locations across Oceania, concluded on Sept. 18, 2024. The opportunities, activities, and investments Koa Moana executed emphasized the strengthening of partnerships and the enhancement of regional security. Deployments like this exemplify the Marine Corps’ forward presence and commitment to cooperative engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
Koa Moana 24 involved extensive community interaction and collaboration in the Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. As the Compact of Free Association nations, both countries maintain the U.S. as their military. The exercise’s duration and annual occurrence underscore this relationship, aiming to bolster operational capabilities while fostering mutual bonds between the U.S. military and local communities.
“Koa Moana 24 has been a testament to the United States’ unwavering commitment to our partners Palau and the FSM,” said Lt. Col. Brian McCarthy, commanding officer of CLB-13 and Koa Moana 24. “Setting conditions in the theater that matters, for when it matters is what an exercise like Koa Moana 24 does. We had to be present and engaged in meaningful ways with the local communities. As Palauan President Whipps said, presence is deterrence, and our Marines and Sailors epitomize that.”
Throughout exercise Koa Moana 24, Marines and Sailors undertook a range of engineering projects, including the renovation of schools, facilities, and historical memorials. Their efforts extended to community engagement activities such as sporting events, school interactions, and cultural immersion, and explosive ordnance disposal. They also facilitated key leader engagements and conducted knowledge exchanges with subject matter experts from both the U.S. and the partner nations.
In addition to CLB-13, Koa Moana 24 employed several supporting episodic engagements. Expeditionary Fire and Rescue Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, 3rd Marine Air Wing, provided external support by training local Aircraft Rescue Firefighting teams in Palau and across the FSM. Marine Corps recruiters from Recruiting Station San Diego also spent a week in Palau conducting recruiting activities, identifying numerous potential prospects. An engineering detachment deployed to Papua New Guinea collaborating with the U.S. Army and Papua New Guinea Defense Force for the construction of the local billeting facilities.
“Until one comes face to face with the diversity in our ranks, it’s easy for many locals to have preconceived notion of the U.S. and its Marine Corps,” noted Sgt. Maj. Jorge Delgadillo, sergeant major of CLB-13 and Koa Moana 24. “Our deliberate diversity in military occupational specialties enabled Koa Moana 24 to execute a wide range of engagements.”
A couple examples of projects in the FSM indicative of Koa Moana 24’s efforts. One in Yap, where Marines extended a school’s internet network across three buildings to enhance connectivity and ensure students could use their devices; a feat the school had sought to achieve for several years. Another in Chuuk, where Marines distributed preparatory disaster relief supplies by delivering more than 5,000 bags of rice and 6,000 cases of water to islands within the state’s lagoon.
“Conducting sustained security cooperation operations for more than 90 days across 1,700 miles of the western pacific, with small formations presented unique challenges and opportunities,” said Maj. Morgan Celaya, executive officer and operations officer of CLB-13 and Koa Moana 24. “Koa Moana’s distributed force laydown allowed us to amplify our effects with approximately 160 Marines and Sailors. We trained and trusted our small unit leadership, which in turn gained the trust of these partner nations. Having done Koa Moana 22, this exercise continues to evolve as is the region and its requirements. It’s important to sustain this momentum in the critical years ahead.”
The Marine Corps demonstrated its best during the Battle of Peleliu 80th anniversary commemoration and opening of a refurbished Peleliu Civic Center as the interim World War II Museum, the culminating events of Koa Moana 24 on Sept. 15, 2024. Marines and Sailors from CLB-13 supported Marine Corps Forces, Pacific in organizing and executing the ceremony, which celebrated the 80-year partnership between the U.S. and Palau. The event's importance was highlighted by the presence of Maj. Gen. Daniel Shipley, deputy commander of MARFORPAC, who traveled to Palau to join the Marines and engage with senior officials from Palau and Japan, as well as the U.S. Ambassador to Palau and other local dignitaries.
As Koa Moana 24 draws to a close, it is evident that the exercise has laid the groundwork for future engagements. Aligned with the new 1st MLG Campaign Order “Ready… Set…,” Koa Moana underscores the campaign's emphasis on readiness and resilience while fostering partnerships across the Indo-Pacific Region.
“The ‘Ready… Set…’ campaign encompasses our preparedness in every aspect, from combat to community engagement,” noted McCarthy. “Koa Moana reinforces that mindset, and as we conclude this exercise, we do so with the assurance that our partners value our support and look forward to our return.”
Koa Moana 24 has demonstrated that the Marines are prepared for combat operations while remaining dedicated partners and friends to the people of Palau and the FSM. The relationships forged during this exercise are expected to have a lasting impact on the region. The U.S. Marine Corps remains committed to the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific, with Koa Moana serving as a significant example of ongoing engagement.
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2024 17:09 |
| Story ID: | 481345 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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