Marines with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, patrol to a further checkpoint at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, on February 17, 2021. Marines used Marine Warfighting Exercise to strengthen their skills and tactics for fighting a near peer adversary. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew R. Bray)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Bray

Marines in the fight during Service Level Training at the Combat Center

25 Feb 2021 | Lance Cpl Nathan Maysonet Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center --

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, California – Marines and sailors from around the Marine Corps participated in Service Level Training Exercise 2-21 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, throughout January and February 2021.

SLTE is a series of separate exercises designed to prepare the Marine Air Ground Task Force to respond to crises and conflicts around the globe by increasing their ability to integrate actions across the full range of military operations.

“This exercise really showed the strength of the Marine Corps in that we can take a unit from anywhere around the Corps and know that when we plug them into a new headquarters, they will perform,” said Col. Fridrik Fridriksson, Director of Tactical Training Exercise Control Group. The TTECG supports the exercises that run throughout the year at the MCAGCC.

“I was impressed by the fact that 6th Marines was able to pull units from both Camp Pendleton and Hawaii, fold them into their command structure, and seamlessly operate with them,” said Fridriksson.

Integrated Training Exercise, Adversary Force Exercise, and Mountain Training Exercise form the bulk of SLTE. The culminating event of SLTE called Marine Air Ground Task Force Warfighting Exercise.

ITX is the longest exercise conducted at MCAGCC, focusing on the tactical application of combined-arms maneuver and offensive and defensive operations during combat.

MTX takes place at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, California, and prepares units to conduct offensive and defensive operations in a mountainous environment.

MWX is a full-scale force on force all-domain fight that drives the participating MAGTF units to be innovative and adaptive to our Nations’ ever evolving adversaries by challenging service members to fight against a free-thinking adversary with similar capabilities in a force-on-force, free-play environment.

“MWX tested 6th Marines’ and MAG-24’s ability to operate across the warfighting spectrum,” said Fridriksson.

“I was equally impressed that MAG-24, a Hawaii based Marine Air Group was able to move out to SLTE and absorb 2nd Marine Air Wing units, including HMH-461, a heavy-lift squadron and support the exercise with them.”