3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines prepare for Afghanistan

[SO19]

(Ready and raring to go - 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines prepare for Afghanistan AUDIO)
26 Jul 06


3 Commando Brigade Royal Marine on their final Mission Rehearsal Exercise [Picture: Chris Fletcher]


3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines on their final Mission Rehearsal Exercise before deploying to Afghanistan [Picture: Chris Fletcher]

Deploying to Afghanistan in September 2006, 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines were joined at Salisbury plain on Tuesday 25 July 2006 by the Minister of the Armed Forces, Adam Ingram to watch their final preparations.

3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines will replace 16 Air Assault Brigade in Afghanistan as they end their six month deployment.

The deployment will add to existing military contributions from the UK and 35 other nations as part of a NATO drive to create safe space for reconstruction following decades of war in the country.

As part of their Final Mission Rehearsal Exercise the Brigade also worked with other Government Departments and Afghan Nationals. This tested all aspects of the future deployment from internal security to the role of the Provincial Reconstruction teams and the Operational Mentoring and Liaison teams.

Taking part were the Royal Marines from 42 Cdo based at Bickleigh near Plymouth, 29 Cdo from the Citadel, logistics regiment and engineers from Chivenor, 45 Cdo from Arbroath in Scotland and a command support team from RM Stonehouse.

The scenario for the exercise was an attack on a British logistic supply convoy by suspected terrorists. The Marines went through their well rehearsed drills to respond to the attack and dealt with the potential terrorists.

Hear Marine James John Morgan, Chivenor, on the exercise >>> http://www.operations.mod.uk/sound/Mari ... Morgan.MP3

After watching the Royal Marines in action, Mr Ingram said:

"The mission that they (The Royal Marines) have set out to do is to bring about that peace and stability that the Afghan people want. They’ve had enough of war and conflict over the last so many decades. They want a different future and the Royal Marines will help them achieve that."

Mr Ingram also highlighted Defence Secretary Des Browne's recent announcement on a package of new equipment to help protect UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan following an armoured vehicles protection review:

"We’ve been looking at this and these things don’t happen quickly. First of all we’ve got to try to find the best vehicles and we’ve got to make sure it’s properly armoured. We’ve then got to procure them and find out how soon we can get them. We’ve then got to get them fitted out with the necessary capabilities that afford maximum protection. This has been something we have been looking at.

"But it’s not just about vehicles. What you see here are Royal Marines being trained in tactics and manoeuvre procedures as well so that they have greater awareness of where the threat is. Vehicles afford so much protection but their (the Royal Marines) own intelligence, their own capabilities and their own training give them that even better level of protection."

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Defen ... naudio.htm

[myss]

I know they're headed by a keen and ready CO - top man, good luck to them all.