Marines brace against Aussie advance during Exercise Hamel 2012

Marines with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct a response to contact drill here, June 30. The Marines of 3rd platoon with Weapons platoon reinforcements have set up in defensive positions in and around the simulated town of Raspberry Creek, in preparation for the advance of the Australian Army’s 1st Brigade. The coming assault is one of the key battles of Exercise Hamel 2012, the multi-national training evolution between the Australian Army, U.S. Marines and New Zealand Army, serving as 1st Brigade's certification exercise. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.