The biennial exercise Valiant Shield kicks off today and the U.S. Marines will take the opportunity to practice seizing and defending the airfield on the island of Tinian.
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Johnston Murn, a low altitude air defense gunner with 3rd LAAD Battalion unit deployment program, uses a Stinger missile tracking and handling trainer on a Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 during Exercise Eagle Wrath 2016 at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, July 28, 2016. Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, received assistance throughout the exercise from Combat Logistics Company 36 from MCAS Iwakuni, the Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion and Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and HSC-25 from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron Henson)
A force of 200 will descend on North Field using CH-53s and MV-22s. They will then defend the field with help from Navy Seabees.
