WEBVTT 00:00.219 --> 00:02.441 My name is Captain Matthew George . I'm 00:02.441 --> 00:04.775 the commanding officer of Alpha Company , 00:04.775 --> 00:06.997 third , literal combat team , third M L 00:06.997 --> 00:08.997 R . So today , the primary focus of 00:08.997 --> 00:12.250 training was a non live fire event that 00:12.260 --> 00:15.609 centered around classes taught by our 00:15.619 --> 00:18.750 Philippine marine partners . Primarily 00:18.760 --> 00:20.770 their version of what would be our 00:20.780 --> 00:23.350 Marine Corps martial arts program . 00:23.680 --> 00:25.513 They also led us through several 00:25.513 --> 00:27.680 iterations of jungle survival training 00:27.680 --> 00:30.399 and jungle mobility . So my specific 00:30.409 --> 00:33.439 role was to integrate with my 00:33.450 --> 00:35.919 Philippine Marine counterpart company 00:35.930 --> 00:39.740 commander here to bring both my 00:39.750 --> 00:43.169 company and his company together to 00:43.180 --> 00:45.402 integrate our squad leaders and our non 00:45.402 --> 00:47.458 commissioned officers so that we can 00:47.458 --> 00:50.830 make this event move seamlessly . And 00:50.840 --> 00:53.279 so in order to do that , we've had a 00:53.290 --> 00:55.346 couple of socials with them . So far 00:55.669 --> 00:57.836 we've had meal engagements with them . 00:58.189 --> 01:00.270 So it's given us an opportunity to 01:00.279 --> 01:03.509 really integrate and socialize with the 01:03.520 --> 01:05.687 people that we're going to continue to 01:05.687 --> 01:07.853 be working with while we're out here . 01:07.853 --> 01:09.742 So this environment is absolutely 01:09.742 --> 01:13.059 unique and very challenging both from a 01:13.069 --> 01:15.125 terrain perspective , from a weather 01:15.125 --> 01:18.410 perspective . It is , it is 01:19.050 --> 01:22.069 absolutely imperative that we get into 01:22.080 --> 01:24.059 environments like this in order to 01:24.069 --> 01:26.709 acclimate not only ourselves but our 01:26.720 --> 01:28.387 equipment and really test our 01:28.387 --> 01:31.260 capabilities and limitations operating 01:31.269 --> 01:33.930 here so that we can enhance what we try 01:33.940 --> 01:35.940 to do in the future . Yes . So the 01:35.949 --> 01:38.459 training today , although light in 01:38.470 --> 01:40.414 nature is absolutely imperative to 01:40.414 --> 01:43.930 developing relationships that are not 01:43.940 --> 01:46.309 just going to last or expire now , but 01:46.319 --> 01:48.486 that are going to remain well into the 01:48.486 --> 01:50.708 foreseeable future . We anticipate that 01:50.708 --> 01:53.709 we will ultimately work with the same 01:53.720 --> 01:57.220 units as we come here again for further 01:57.230 --> 02:00.139 exercises . But there's the , there's 02:00.150 --> 02:02.919 the same marine units and armed forces 02:02.930 --> 02:04.986 units of the Philippines that we may 02:04.986 --> 02:08.350 encounter in the future in real world 02:08.360 --> 02:10.304 operations . So they're absolutely 02:10.304 --> 02:12.471 vital that we make those relationships 02:12.471 --> 02:14.582 now contribute to the overall mission 02:14.589 --> 02:18.149 of so training this 02:18.160 --> 02:20.419 way . Um I think specifically meets 02:20.429 --> 02:23.160 commander's intent um because we are 02:23.169 --> 02:26.050 out here to form relationships and 02:26.059 --> 02:28.309 strong bonds and that is exactly what 02:28.320 --> 02:31.210 this exercise is about . And that is at 02:31.220 --> 02:33.220 the heart of everything that we are 02:33.220 --> 02:35.220 trying to do here . We're capturing 02:35.220 --> 02:37.331 that specifically through small scale 02:37.331 --> 02:39.442 events that are non live fire based , 02:39.442 --> 02:41.664 but also through live fire events where 02:41.664 --> 02:43.553 we get to learn and work with our 02:43.553 --> 02:45.498 Philippine marine and armed forces 02:45.498 --> 02:47.889 partners day in and day out and again , 02:47.990 --> 02:50.212 those are going to be the relationships 02:50.212 --> 02:52.268 that we will carry forward and those 02:52.268 --> 02:51.729 are what are going to be absolutely 02:51.740 --> 02:54.410 integral to operating in the future . 02:55.179 --> 02:58.449 So Batan specifically gives 02:58.460 --> 03:01.509 marines the opportunity to operate in a 03:01.520 --> 03:03.520 live fire scenario that tests their 03:03.520 --> 03:06.050 independent capabilities . But it also 03:06.059 --> 03:08.281 gives them an opportunity to test their 03:08.281 --> 03:10.115 fire team squad platoon and even 03:10.115 --> 03:13.889 company level capabilities here in the 03:13.899 --> 03:16.130 the live fire training area that we're 03:16.139 --> 03:18.639 currently occupying . But more 03:18.649 --> 03:20.316 importantly , it gives us the 03:20.316 --> 03:22.427 opportunity to test our equipment and 03:22.427 --> 03:24.593 in , in a foreign country , in an area 03:24.593 --> 03:27.690 that is unfamiliar to us . Um An area 03:27.699 --> 03:30.350 that presents unique challenges of its 03:30.360 --> 03:33.529 own due to terrain due to weather and 03:33.539 --> 03:36.910 then a civilian populace that 03:36.919 --> 03:39.649 we need to be able to integrate with 03:40.289 --> 03:42.622 and work with in order to be successful . 03:43.070 --> 03:44.848 Well , specifically , first and 03:44.848 --> 03:46.792 foremost , the marines have had to 03:46.792 --> 03:48.514 adapt to the weather . This is 03:48.514 --> 03:50.181 seasonably one of the hottest 03:50.181 --> 03:52.181 environments that many of them have 03:52.181 --> 03:56.000 ever had to operate . And but two , 03:57.229 --> 03:59.340 the challenge to really just come out 03:59.340 --> 04:01.451 of their shell and be willing to work 04:01.451 --> 04:04.110 with and operate with our Filipino 04:04.119 --> 04:06.341 marine partners , that is not something 04:06.341 --> 04:08.397 that's easily done . But one thing I 04:08.397 --> 04:10.119 think our marines have done is 04:10.119 --> 04:14.009 integrate with them in spades and it's 04:14.020 --> 04:16.760 unique to see them socializing with 04:16.769 --> 04:18.936 their counterparts , having meals with 04:18.936 --> 04:21.158 their counterparts because that then in 04:21.158 --> 04:24.230 turn , translates into operability on 04:24.239 --> 04:26.517 training ranges and on the firing line . 04:26.517 --> 04:28.720 And that is ultimately the culmination 04:28.730 --> 04:31.063 of where you're seeing success out here . 04:31.063 --> 04:33.174 But that's going to pay dividends for 04:33.174 --> 04:35.174 future exercises and any real world 04:35.174 --> 04:36.952 operations in the future to any 04:36.952 --> 04:39.174 potential adversary . I would want them 04:39.174 --> 04:41.174 to know that A we are here , we are 04:41.174 --> 04:43.790 present but b this is , this is a team 04:43.799 --> 04:46.519 fight , this is not an American fight , 04:46.529 --> 04:49.309 this is a team fight and specifically 04:49.320 --> 04:52.019 it is a team fight among us and our 04:52.029 --> 04:54.196 Philippine partners . And I would want 04:54.196 --> 04:56.589 them to know that we are unified and we 04:56.600 --> 05:00.220 represent a lethal combined front 05:00.950 --> 05:03.006 and everything that we are doing out 05:03.006 --> 05:06.920 here , integration wise , training wise , 05:06.940 --> 05:09.359 all of the live fire , all of that , 05:09.369 --> 05:11.559 that we are doing both ourselves and 05:11.570 --> 05:14.350 the army . All of those elements are 05:14.359 --> 05:17.869 out here building that foundation and 05:17.880 --> 05:20.640 it is a strong foundation that is joint , 05:20.799 --> 05:24.250 that is partnered and any adversary 05:24.260 --> 05:26.538 force needs to understand that . Again , 05:26.538 --> 05:29.399 this is , this is a combined fight that 05:29.410 --> 05:31.466 we would be willing to take into the 05:31.466 --> 05:33.410 future . None other than this is a 05:33.410 --> 05:35.410 phenomenal training area . This has 05:35.410 --> 05:37.521 been a tremendous opportunity for the 05:37.521 --> 05:39.577 marines to come out and operate in a 05:39.577 --> 05:41.577 different environment . It's been a 05:41.577 --> 05:43.521 tremendous opportunity for them to 05:43.521 --> 05:45.577 combine and integrate with a partner 05:45.577 --> 05:47.632 nation force . Many of these marines 05:47.632 --> 05:49.521 may have one opportunity in their 05:49.521 --> 05:52.549 careers to do that . So it's absolutely 05:52.559 --> 05:54.781 amazing that we have the opportunity to 05:54.781 --> 05:57.790 have almost a dedicated month to spend 05:57.799 --> 06:00.021 with our partners . And we're certainly 06:00.021 --> 06:02.243 looking forward to doing more exercises 06:02.243 --> 06:01.529 like this in the future .