U.S. Navy and Marine Corps expeditionary forces are scheduled to participate in a Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) exercise, Exercise Pacific Horizon 2015, off of the coast of Southern California and ashore at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Oct. 20-28, 2014.

Pacific Horizon is a scenario-driven Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief exercise designed to train the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in MPF operations. The exercise will test staffs in the planning and execution of MPF operations, civil-military security assistance, and infrastructure renovations in a series of live and constructive training events. Exercises like PH15 provide realistic, relevant training necessary for effective global crisis response expected of the Navy and Marine Corps.

Units from U.S. Third Fleet’s Expeditionary Strike Group 3 and 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade will employ the latest technologies and operational techniques to accomplish PH15 training objectives. This exercise will involve ship to shore off-loads of equipment and humanitarian resources as well as disaster relief and ground security operations.

PH15 participants include U.S. Navy Expeditionary Strike Group 3 (ESG-3) command element, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade (1st MEB) command element and the following composited forces: USNS MONTFORT POINT (Mobile Landing Platform, MLP-1), USNS DAHL (LMSR), USNS WILLIAMS (T-AK), Naval Beach Group One (NBG-1), Amphibious Construction Battalion One (ACB-1) , Beach Master Unit One (BMU-1), Assault Craft Unit One (ACU-1), Assault Craft Unit Five (ACU-5), Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 (MWSS-373), Combat Logistics Regiment 1 (CLR-1), and 1st Battalion, 4th Marines (1/4).

Between the exercise dates Oct. 20-28, local San Diego residents may notice an increased presence of naval vessels and maritime activity off the coast of Camp Pendleton.

On Frid, Oct. 24, ESG-3/1stMEB PA will host a Media Day that includes interviews with key Navy and Marine Corps leadership as well as coverage of sea-based, ship to shore, and humanitarian response activities.  Media interested in covering the exercise should contact Maj. Staci Reidinger, 1st MEB public affairs officer at (760) 277-7823 or staci.reidinger@usmc.mil.

Expeditionary Strike Group 3 mission: Through aggressive training and readiness, Expeditionary Strike Group Three provides regional and combatant commanders with an agile, tailorable, forward-postured and immediately employable force, capable of projecting expeditionary striking power in the maritime, littoral, and inland environs in support of U.S. national interests.

1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade mission: When directed, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade composites and deploys as a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) in support of Combatant Commander (COCOM) requirements across the range of military operations.  With appropriate augmentation, 1st MEB prepares and deploys combat ready MAGTF’s to support COCOM presence and crisis response; and supports service and COCOM initiatives as required.

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