Camp Lejeune’s annual training exercise helps increase readiness, maintain relationships with allies

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (WNCT) — An annual training event took place Thursday at Camp Lejeune involving several other countries.

The event, called Exercise Burmese Chase, is executed each year to increase readiness and maintain relationships. It will be going on until October 1. Camp Lejeune is hosting allied forces from the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Netherlands and Sweden.  

Thursday morning’s events included an infantry immersion event, which is a training system that prepares Marines and sailors for deployment in real-life battlefields with real-life scenes, sounds and smells. 

“Marines and partner forces, going through essentially a drill and a live simulator with live role players to practice infantry tactics, along with firing maneuver,” said Capt. George Gibson.

Next up was a gunfighter gym, where participants simulated gunfire training in a virtual setting. After that, Marines had a chance to experience vehicle roll-over conditions and rehearse the steps necessary to escape in the event of a crash. 

“We get the Marines and the partners into essentially a frame that mimics a military vehicle, we roll them over. And then from that point, we teach them how to egress from the vehicle that they are in,” said Gibson. 

Then came boat training, where they rehearsed man overboard drills on combat rubber raiding crafts. The last event for the day was a combat convoy simulator, which provides an immersive environment for convoy operations training. 

“The exercise purpose is to identify shortfalls and to really expand upon them so that when we do go forward, we’re a more lethal fighting force,” Gibson said.