"During the two-week training evolution, patrols played a part in the exercise’s emphasis on air base ground defense by training Marines to secure an area, protect incoming and outgoing assets in the area of operations and to show their presence in a deployed environment," the release stated.
Patrols during the June 15- 28 exercise mainly consisted of encountering simulated enemies, looking for things on the road that looked out of the ordinary and calling in explosive ordnance disposal technicians for what could be potential improvised explosive devices, the release explained.
"Even though every (military occupational specialty) supports the infantry, the rear units need protection as well, and that is why this exercise is putting so much effort in training the squadron in air base ground defense," Marine squad leader and combat engineer Sergeant Ian Campbell said in the release.
Campbell noted that even though there are various types of patrols, air base ground defense focuses primarily on vehicle and foot-mobile security patrols.
