U.S. Marines conduct simulated combat patrols in preparation for exercise Freezing Winds 24 on Dragsvik, Finland, Nov. 4, 2024. Freezing Winds is an annual Finnish-led maritime exercise involving U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Rotational Force – Europe and serves as a venue to increase Finnish Naval readiness and interoperability between NATO partners and allies in and around the Baltic Sea. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Christian Salazar)
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Samuel Modica, left, operational command element commander for Marine Rotational Force - Europe and Nylands Brigade Kommendör Jyri Kopare, right, salute Marines and Finnish soldiers as they march past during the Swedish Heritage Parade in Dragsvik, Finland, Nov. 6, 2024. U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Rotational Force – Europe are in Finland to participate in exercise Freezing Winds 24, an annual Finnish-led maritime exercise which serves as a venue to increase Finnish Naval readiness and interoperability between NATO partners and allies in and around the Baltic Sea. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Christian Salazar)
U.S. Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force and the Finnish Defence Forces worked toward international strategic goals during the Finnish Readiness Exercise at Camp Dragsvik, Finland, Aug. 5-9, 2024. The training provided U.S. Marines and the FDF multiple opportunities to exchange tactics, techniques, and technologies while further developing military partnerships.
The training primarily focused on enhancing the operational capabilities and readiness of both Finnish and U.S. forces through combined amphibious and helicopter raids, integration of naval gunfire support and coastal defense rehearsals.
The newest training brought to Finland was the establishment of the forward arming and refueling point and the execution of a...
