A detachment from the United States Marine Corps, Marine Rotational Force unit, led by Combat Logistics Battalion 8, has arrived in Finland and will train together with Nyland Brigade until the end of December. The detachment with a strength of 200 Marines will be stationed in Nyland Brigade and it will mainly operate within the Brigade´s training areas.
Nyland brigade has a long experience of international co-operation and has a high competence in providing host nation support for foreign troops. During the last two years Dragsvik has supported the United States Marine Corps for more than 200 days.
- Nyland brigade has developed an established and well-functioning support organisation to receive and host allies that are visiting us. The new capabilities that they bring with them allow us to continue and further develop our co-operation. The United States Marine Corps are very satisfied with the support that we have provided and we are glad that they are back to continue their co-operating with us, says Nyland Brigade’s Chief of Staff, Commander Pekka Snellman.
Several training events have been planned for the autumn, the main event being Exercise Freezing Winds 24 at the end of November. This exercise aims to align the operational methods of the U.S. Marines with Finland’s coastal defence forces, focusing on enhancing interoperability and fostering strategic and tactical cooperation between Finland’s Navy and U.S. Forces.
Logistics and littoral distribution will play a crucial role in the exercise, with U.S. Marines providing support to the forces participating. The exercise will test the U.S. Marine Corps’ ability to conduct logistics and sustainment in challenging Arctic littoral conditions through a series of tactical training maneuvers.
- This is a great opportunity for our personnel and our conscripts to continue to develop our cooperation with the U.S. Marines, Snellman concludes.
Getting to know the operating environment on the Finnish coast and archipelago, as well as the working methods of the Finnish forces and Finland’s purposeful development of defence cooperation will improve our allies’ readiness and ability to cooperate.
