USS IWO JIMA, Arabian Gulf (Jan 23, 2009) -- Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted a Joint Combined Security Exercise with members of the Kuwaiti military in Kuwait Jan. 19, 2009.
The JCSE centered on a mock Noncombatant Evacuation Operation, evacuating American citizens and designated personnel. Members of the 26th MEU's Ground and Logistics Combat Elements, Battalion Landing Team 2/6 and Combat Logistics Battalion-26 participated with their Kuwaiti counterparts.
The Marines and Kuwaitis secured a designated Saudi-owned Chevron facility near Kuwait City and established an evacuee processing center where they honed their skills receiving and processing hundreds of volunteer mock evacuees.
"This exercise was a resounding success," said Lt. Col. Capdepon, the 26th MEU's executive officer. "The Marines ran their portion like clockwork, and it was great to work with our Kuwaiti counterparts," he said.
While the MEU ended its unit-wide sustainment training in Kuwait Jan. 19, portions of the MEU remained in Kuwait to continue small-unit training and exercises.
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit is currently deployed to the U.S. Central Command Area of Operation as part of its 2008-2009 deployment.