SAF and USMC personnel executing an assault mission as part of their field training exercise. - PHOTO: MINDEF via The Straits Times/ANN
SINGAPORE: More than 600 soldiers from the Singapore and United States armed forces took part in a two-week long exercise in California that ended on Saturday.
Exercise Valiant Mark, an annual bilateral exercise, ran from Oct 7 to 21, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) on Saturday.
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was represented by soldiers from the 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade, and 1st Battalion Singapore Guards, while the United States Marine Corps (USMC) sent its 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the exercise.
The exercise concluded with a battalion-level amphibious mission that involved joint planning and the capturing of urban objectives.
Other exercise elements included subject matter expert exchanges, urban operations training, live-firing, and brigade-level planning exercises.
The closing ceremony was co-officiated by SAF’s commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Lim and commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Holland at Camp Pendleton.
The exercise, launched in 1991 and into its 26th edition, “underscores the excellent and long-standing bilateral defence relations between Singapore and the United States”, said Mindef.
“The two militaries interact regularly through numerous bilateral and multilateral exercises, high-level visits, professional exchanges as well as the cross-attendance of courses and seminars.
"These mutually beneficial exchanges have enhanced the cooperation and professionalism of both armed forces, and forged strong rapport and camaraderie among their personnel.” - The Straits Times/ANN
