Members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) concluded this week a six-day training exercise in Reno. The training mission focused on a fictional U.S. Embassy evacuation and was overseen by Department of State advisors at the Reno-Stead Army Guard facility. It was unrelated to President Joe Biden’s recent visit to the Reno area.
The training involved 17 members flying to Reno to assist a fictional U.S. Consulate during a simulated violent protest crisis.
“This scenario is fiction, but this mission is very real to us—we understand how critical it is to our nation that the 15th MEU is trained and ready to respond if Americans overseas need our help,” said Col. Sean Dynan, the unit’s commanding officer. “Here, we rapidly plan and then aggressively execute our missions just like when we get the call.”
Exercises involved planning and coordination for crisis scenarios. They culminated in an additional 20 Marines and Sailors flying from Yuma to Reno to set up an evacuation control center, provide medical assistance and coordinate the military-assisted departure of civilian role players.
In the simulated scenario, aircraft would have transported more than 50 American citizens to a safe haven country.
Military officials said that the 15th MEU will continue its training through Aug. 28 in Yuma, Ariz. before returning to Camp Pendleton as it prepares for future missions to support U.S. embassies and protect American citizens abroad.
Source: U.S. Marines
