Marines make
the Big Blue
One bigger
T
HE Big Blue
One will be
even bigger during
Ex Brolga Strike
and Ex Talisman
Sabre in the
coming months.
It is packing an
extra company plus
of US Marines
until August.
The 220 Marines,
who are stationed
at Darwin
until October,
are keen to build capability and
interoperability with their Australian
allies while they’re in Townsville.
OC CAPT Thomas Schueman (pictured)
said he and his men were excited to be
in Townsville, although they remained
wary of the Australian wildlife.
He said he operated on the assumption
that everything [wildlife] in Australia
was trying to kill him.
He made light of a snakebite incident
that interrupted the fi rst 24hrs of training
when they arrived in Darwin.
One of his men was bitten by a
python, which CAPT Schueman was
relieved to learn was non-venomous.
CAPT Schueman said the opportunity
to train with 1RAR was welcomed.
“Our fi rst reason for being in Australia
is to be ready to respond [on behalf of
the USA] to any potential threats that
emerge in the Pacifi c,” he said.
“Our second purpose for being here is to
train, educate and operate alongside one of
our longest-standing allies, the Australians.”
CAPT Schueman said his company
had arrived just in time to join in
the ANZAC Day commemorations at
Darwin, an experience he and his men felt
privileged to have been able to share.
The Marines, as part of 1RAR, will
face some of their countrymen on the
opposing side of the exercise.
They were planning to visit Magnetic
Island last weekend and had already spent
“a good deal” of money in Townsville,
particularly in Flinders Street, he said.
“In Townsville, just like in Darwin, everybody
has been super-receptive, really hospitable,
it’s been a really good trip so far,” he said.
76 | JUNE 2017