U.S. Marines Participate In Exercise Arrow 19
by U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Scott Jenkins September
4, 2019
Finnish soldiers teamed up with U.S. forces and other partner
nations to participate in exercise Arrow 19 in Finland in May 2019.
Arrow 19 is an annual Finnish multinational exercise held to
exercise platoon-to-battalion-sized mechanized infantry, artillery
and mortar field training skills incorporating live-fire exercise of
Finnish Armed Forces.
"It is important to create and foster
international relationships between partner warfighters," said 1st
Lt. Robert Locker, communications officer with 2nd Transportation
Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics
Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
The exercise brought
mechanized forces from four nations together at Pohjankangas,
Niinisalo, Finland. U.S. Marines from 2nd Marine Logistics Group and
2nd Marine Division stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. U.S.
Soldiers from 4th Squadron, 2D Cavalry, U.S. Army Europe,
participated in the exercise along with The Royal Lancers, a British
army armored intelligence unit, and an Estonian contingency of
armored intelligence also took part in the exercise.
2nd TSB
supported the exercise by rapidly deploying personnel and organizing
the use of vehicles and other equipment from the Marine Corps
Prepositioning Program-Norway storage facilities.
"Participating in such exercises allows II MEF to evaluate our
ability to offload personnel and equipment, generate combat power
across the Atlantic, and then redeploy assets through a known
logistically complicated area of operation," said Locker.

U.S. Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams
tanks with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II
Marine Expeditionary Force, fire during a live-fire range as
part of exercise Arrow 2019 at the Pohjankangas Training
Area near Niinisalo, Finland, May 13, 2019. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Scott Jenkins)
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This year the exercise included a greater variety of Marine Corps
wheeled and tracked vehicles than previous years, allowing more fast
paced and complex maneuvers in coordination with allied and partner
military forces.
"The force-on-force training allowed us, as
a maneuver-centric force, to work alongside our partners and allies
to improve and develop new techniques, tactics, and procedures in
terrain that require a very deliberate approach in planning and
execution for each attack," said 1st Lt. Dillion Layman, a platoon
commander with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd MarDiv, II Marine
Expeditionary Force.
The weeklong force-on-force training
used multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES) and
live-fire ranges.
MILES utilizes a laser sensor system with
blank ammunition to simulate combat scenarios. The system is worn by
ground troops as well as placed on combat vehicles taking place in
the exercise. Units were divided into two teams and carried out
simulated attacks on each there throughout the first week.
"It was good to get out of our comfort zone and train in an
unfamiliar environment," said Lance Cpl. Tyler Thompson, a Light
Armored Vehicle crewman with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance
Battalion, 2nd MarDiv.
During the live-fire week of the
exercise, the units worked as platoons to improve on tactics they
developed during the previous week of training.

U.S. Marines with 2nd Light
Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II
Marine Expeditionary Force, fire on line with a U.S. Marine
Corps Light Armored Vehicle during a live-fire range as part
of exercise Arrow 2019 at the Pohjankangas Training Area
near Niinisalo, Finland, May 13, 2019. (U.S. Marine Corps
photo by Lance Cpl. Scott Jenkins)
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"The Finns
were the most accommodating host nation I have worked with," said
Locker. "I look forward to working alongside the Finnish Army. They
are an industrious force and know how to get effects on target,
regardless of obstacles in their path."
U.S. Marines first
participated in the exercise in 2018, when 4th Tank Battalion, 4th
Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve brought the M1A1 Abrams tanks
to Finland to train for the first time.
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