Marine Forces Europe and Africa
United States Marine Corps
March 20, 2014
USAG Stuttgart, Germany 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment kicks off Black Sea Rotational Force 14 deployment with non-lethal weapons sustainment training
By Lance Cpl. Scott Whiting | Marine Forces Europe and Africa
MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania : Marines earned their reputation of “always ready” from constant training and sustaining, keeping their skills as fresh as possible in case they are needed.
Marines of Black Sea Rotational Force 14 from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, conducted sustainment training with oleoresin capsicum spray aboard Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, March 5, 2014.
BSRF-14 provides a contingent of Marines to the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus regions to maintain regional stability and work with partner nations in Eastern Europe.
“This training is important because we could get called to reinforce an embassy or respond to any number of crises,” said Cpl. Christian Doran, a nonlethal weapons instructor with Weapons Co. “This training familiarizes the Marines with possible OC spray (usage) in any of these scenarios.”
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The contingent of more than 200 Marines is the second iteration of the first full-year rotation of the Black Sea Rotational Force program. Throughout the rotation, the Marines will conduct military-to-military engagements with partner nations to bolster military capacity and interoperability while providing the capability for rapid crisis response, as directed by U.S. European Command and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa.
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