Added Dimension to Marines’ Routine Exercises

More than 2,200 Marines and sailors have begun shipping out from bases in California to join military exercises in Egypt with several nations that have pledged to support America’s war on terrorism.

Exercise Bright Star was planned months before the Sept. 11 assaults on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. But the U.S. involvement provides additional troops and firepower in the region that could quickly be redeployed for strikes on Afghanistan or other targets.

Brig. Gen. James Mattis, commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, told his troops that, in light of the Sept. 11 attacks, he expects them to show the world that there is “no better friend [and] no worse enemy” than the Marine Corps.

The participating Marines are from this sprawling base and the Twentynine Palms base. F/A-18 Hornet attack aircraft and C-130 Hercules cargo/refueling planes are being sent from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

In all, 23,000 troops from all branches of the U.S. military and 47,000 troops from nine other nations are set to join the monthlong exercise, held every two years.

Also sending troops are Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Britain and Spain.

The first Marines left Wednesday on charter flights from March Reserve Air Force Base in Riverside County. Others are being sent from Camp Lejeune, N.C. More than 600,000 tons of equipment have been sent by ship and aircraft.

The Marines involved in Bright Star are in addition to the 4,200 in the region as part of two Marine expeditionary units: one in the Mediterranean, one in the Arabian Sea.

Although it is unclear whether any local Marines will be part of the U.S. campaign to destroy terrorist strongholds, the attacks this month have given new urgency to even the most routine training.

Sgt. Mike Fay is an infantry instructor here. He has started giving young recruits what he calls a “current events” test to gain their attention and sharpen their sense of duty.

“Any of you been watching what’s going on in the world?” Fay demanded loudly of two dozen recruits assigned to him Wednesday for a class on patrolling urban streets.

“Yes, sergeant!” the recruits shouted.

“Is America going to take this lying down?”

“No, sergeant!”

“Who’s going to do something about it?”

“The Marine Corps, sergeant!” came the shout, even louder than the previous ones.

Fay, 22, said his question-and-answer drill “wakes them up. It makes them realize this is serious.”