Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso, MCB Camp Butler, Camp Cilandak – Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force's Special Operations Training Group conducted Enhanced Marksmanship Familiarization training and classes on Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations with the Indonesian Marine Corps' 2nd Brigade Aug. 7-8 at Camp Cilandak, Indonesia, and aboard USS Harpers Ferry.

The exercise was part of Naval Engagement Activity Indonesia (NEA) 2007, an exercise between the United States and Indonesia designed to improve the tactical collaboration of the two forces.

"Our purpose was to build closer ties with the Indonesian Marines," said Marine Capt. Zaher Bouza, the officer in charge of the NEA SOTG Detachment. "This was an opportunity to work and share some of our tactical knowledge with each other. Even though we only had two days to train, we built a mutual trust between us and the Indonesian Marines that will carry on into future training opportunities. They are a disciplined unit, and it was very exciting to have trained with a group of professionals."

The training began with the US Marines demonstrating the Corps' Enhanced Marksmanship Program (EMP) course to the Indonesian Marines. During the demonstration, the Marines fired their M4 carbine rifles at fixed targets from distances of 10-25 meters in quick reaction drills.

"This type of shooting is designed to build muscle memory and instinctive shooting skills. (It's) mainly used in an urban environment or in close quarters battle," Bouza said. After the demonstration, the Indonesian Marines joined in the EMP course with their own SS-1 rifles.

Then, both groups engaged targets from approximately 100 meters. During the drill, Indonesian Marines fired the M-4, leaders from the host country force commented on the similarity of tactics between the Marines of both countries.

"A lot of our techniques are very similar," said Indonesian Marine Capt. Sinaga Datuk, the operations officer for the Indonesian Marine Corps' 2nd Brigade. "The biggest difference we saw was that we each use different rifles, but everything else is the same. We were very impressed by how good the Marines were at shooting and look forward to doing more training like this in the future."

With the shooting portion of the exercise completed, the training continued the following day aboard the USS Harpers Ferry, where Bouza and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William Blackwell, a corpsman with SOTG, gave the Indonesian Marines classes on the concepts of Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force, Marine expeditionary unit operations and tactical combat casualty care.

"We are very glad to have had an opportunity to train with the US Marines," Datuk said. "These are the moments that really bring Marine brotherhood together. Although we fight for different nations, it is an honor to train with anyone who calls himself Marine. We hope to do this again very soon."