1st Recon Bn., Indonesian Korps Marinir integrate for annual bilateral training exercise > United States Marine Corps Flagship > News Display

Jun 09, 2023

Photo by Cpl. Cameron Hermanet

4 May 2023 | Cpl. Cameron Hermanet 1st Marine Division

U.S. Marines with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and members of the 2nd Intai Amfibi Battalion, Indonesian Korps Marinir, participated in an annual reconnaissance exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 8-20, 2023.Together, reconnaissance Marines and members of Indonesia's KORMAR spent 12 days training and rehearsing across Camp Pendleton for a culminating event April 18-19. The training included back-to-back days of flying the RQ-20 Puma, live-fire ranges, urban combat training, swim qualification, operational planning, and combat rubber raiding craft operations.On the first day of the exercise, the Marines began familiarizing the KORMAR with the RQ-20 Puma, which is a small, unmanned and hand-launched aircraft system. Here, the KORMAR learned about the drone's extensive capabilities, including how to control the drone, operate the camera, and practiced hand launching."Day 1 was used to familiarize the KORMAR on our tactics, techniques and procedures while flying the Puma," said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. John Ferguson, a platoon commander with Charlie Company, 1st Recon. Bn. "Ultimately preparing for the use of it during the full mission profile; the amphibious recon patrol."Over the next few days, the KORMAR were issued standard Marine Corps equipment; to include sleeping systems, main packs, and waterproofing gear that would sustain them in overnight field environments. They were also issued the M4 carbines they would use at live-fire ranges.The live-fire portion of the exercise allowed the Marines to share some of their tactics and techniques on stationary targets, both daytime and nighttime, and room clearing in urban combat training.