SATTAHIP, Thailand -- Pacific Marines with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC) and III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), along with members of the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) and Navy (RTN), participated in a cybersecurity subject matter expert exchange (SMEE) from February 19-23, 2024.
Leaders and experts in cyber and communications operations from both RTMC and U.S. Marine Corps units shared experiences, tactics, techniques, and procedures for defensive operations in a command, control, communications, and computers (C4) environment.
MARFORPAC – RTMC/RTN Cyber SMEE
Photo by Courtesy photo by Public Affairs personnel of the Royal Thai Marine Corps Headquarters base
Members of the Royal Thai Navy Fleet Force attend a class during a subject matter expert exchange between Pacific Marines and Royal Thai military cyber personnel in Sattahip, Thailand, Feb. 19-23, 2024. The exchange represents a crucial step forward in advancing defensive cyber operations and fostering stronger partnerships with our Allies in the Indo-Pacific region. (Courtesy photo by Public Affairs personnel of the Royal Thai Marine Corps Headquarters base)
“I would like to highlight the positive attributes of this first iteration of the SMEE program,” said U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Matthew Wampler, transmissions systems operator, 3rd Marine Division, reflecting on the exchange. “As a radio operator, it isn’t foreign practice to participate in joint training exercises with NATO and non-NATO partners in their home countries. We are especially lucky in III MEF to have a scope that encompasses a large variety of countries that exercise truly intelligent methods of radio communications in austere environments.”
The event focused on defensive cyber operations, increasing C4 interoperability of U.S. forces and Thai partners, and strengthening mutual interests in the region.
Adding to this sentiment, U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Byron Pimentel, G-6 chief with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, emphasized the strategic importance of such collaborations. “MARFORPAC G-6/G-39 regularly establishes various C4 and cybersecurity SMEEs with Allies and partners across U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility. Our goal is to continue building partner capacity and strengthening relationships to assure command and control (C2), generate effects, and close kill chains.”
MARFORPAC – RTMC/RTN Cyber SMEE
Photo by Courtesy photo by Public Affairs personnel of the Royal Thai Marine Corps Headquarters base
U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Byron G. Pimentel, operations chief, G-6/G-39, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, speaks with Commander Weerakamon Suanchan, operations planner, Royal Thai Marine Corps, for his continued support to MARFORPAC throughout our various engagements during a subject matter expert exchange between Pacific Marines and Royal Thai military cyber personnel in Sattahip, Thailand, Feb. 19-23, 2024. The exchange represents a crucial step forward in advancing defensive cyber operations and fostering stronger partnerships with our Allies in the Indo-Pacific region. (Courtesy photo by Public Affairs personnel of the Royal Thai Marine Corps Headquarters base)
Throughout the exchange, MARFORPAC cyber and C4 collaborated with their RTMC counterparts on various aspects of cyber architecture, tactical communications concepts, cyber threat intelligence, and electromagnetic spectrum operations.
“Being able to sit knee to knee with the Royal Thai Marine Corps radio operators outside of an exercise was an outstanding experience to bolster ties at the non-commissioned officer level and share skills and experiences from exercises and operations around the globe,” said Wampler.
Subject matter experts from both militaries trained on cyber incident response and active defense to further fortify cybersecurity measures.
Furthermore, the exchange served as a venue to identify areas of future cooperation with foreign partners across the area of responsibility as well as developing cyber capabilities, competencies, and capacity within the RTMC cyber workforce.
“Having this unique experience for both the Marine Corps and RTMC only sets the stage for further engagement while strengthening a relationship that can transcend the turnover rate that both organizations bring to bear. I look forward to watching future Marines join the Royal Thai Marines through training and educating in an ever-changing communications environment,” said Wampler.
MARFORPAC – RTMC/RTN Cyber SMEE
Photo by Courtesy photo by Public Affairs personnel of the Royal Thai Marine Corps Headquarters base
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Eric E. Jacobs, cyberspace operations officer, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, instructs a class on computer networks and subnetting during a subject matter expert exchange between Pacific Marines and Royal Thai military cyber personnel in Sattahip, Thailand, Feb. 19-23, 2024. The exchange represents a crucial step forward in advancing defensive cyber operations and fostering stronger partnerships with our Allies in the Indo-Pacific region. (Courtesy photo by Public Affairs personnel of the Royal Thai Marine Corps Headquarters base)
The active participation and communication efforts between Pacific Marines and Royal Thai counterparts represents a crucial step forward in advancing defensive cyber operations and reinforcing regional security and stability.
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific is the largest operational command in the Marine Corps and the Nation’s expeditionary force-in-readiness in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Marines serve alongside the joint force and like-minded Allies and partners to preserve and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.