U.S. Marines with Company A, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, provide suppressing fire on targets with an M240B machine gun during a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise here, Feb. 15. CALFEX was conducted during Exercise Cobra Gold 2012 and included units from the 31st MEU, U.S. Army, Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Marine Corps. CG 2012 demonstrates the resolve of the U.S. and participating nations to increase interoperability and promote security and peace throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The 31st MEU is the U.S.’s expeditionary force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - U.S. Marines with Company A, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, provide suppressing fire on targets with an M240B machine gun during a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise here, Feb. 15. CALFEX was conducted during Exercise Cobra Gold 2012 and included units from the 31st MEU, U.S. Army, Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Marine Corps. CG 2012 demonstrates the resolve of the U.S. and participating nations to increase interoperability and promote security and peace throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The 31st MEU is the U.S.’s expeditionary force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit unload their gear and equipment off of a Navy landing craft here, Feb. 8. The Marines aboard the landing craft were some of the first elements of the 31st MEU to arrive in Thailand for Exercise Cobra Gold 2012. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward deployed MEU and remains the nations’ force-in-readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit unload their gear and equipment off of a Navy landing craft here, Feb. 8. The Marines aboard the landing craft were some of the first elements of the 31st MEU to arrive in Thailand for Exercise Cobra Gold 2012. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward deployed MEU and remains the nations’ force-in-readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Lance Cpl. Victoria Bonaldo, 21, of Philadelphia, Pa., a supply clerk with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, spends time helping disabled Thai students practice English during a community relations event, Feb. 24. Marines and Sailors assisted children at the Father Ray Foundation Redemptive Vocational School for People with Disabilities during a port visit after the 31st MEU’s successful conclusion of Cobra Gold 2011. The 31st MEU is the nation’s only continually forward deployed MEU, and remains a force-in-readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Lance Cpl. Victoria Bonaldo, 21, of Philadelphia, Pa., a supply clerk with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, spends time helping disabled Thai students practice English during a community relations event, Feb. 24. Marines and Sailors assisted children at the Father Ray Foundation Redemptive Vocational School for People with Disabilities during a port visit after the 31st MEU’s successful conclusion of Cobra Gold 2011. The 31st MEU is the nation’s only continually forward deployed MEU, and remains a force-in-readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit ride elephants during a tour of elephant village Feb. 22. Service members were enjoying some much deserved liberty at the conclusion of the 30th annual Cobra Gold exercise. For three decades, Thailand has hosted Cobra Gold, one of the largest land-based, joint, combined military exercises in the world, which started out as a bilateral exercise, but has since grown to include Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea as full participants and dozens of other countries as official observers. - Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit ride elephants during a tour of elephant village Feb. 22. Service members were enjoying some much deserved liberty at the conclusion of the 30th annual Cobra Gold exercise. For three decades, Thailand has hosted Cobra Gold, one of the largest land-based, joint, combined military exercises in the world, which started out as a bilateral exercise, but has since grown to include Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea as full participants and dozens of other countries as official observers.

February 16, 2011, U.S. Marines with the Maritime Raid Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, provide security as a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter lands during a mock raid conducted with Royal Thai Marines in Hat Yao, Kingdom of Thailand, in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2011. For three decades, Thailand has hosted Cobra Gold, one of the largest land-based, joint, combined military training exercises in the world. A successful Cobra Gold 2011 results in increased operational readiness of U.S. and Thai forces and matured military to military relations between the two countries. - February 16, 2011, U.S. Marines with the Maritime Raid Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, provide security as a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter lands during a mock raid conducted with Royal Thai Marines in Hat Yao, Kingdom of Thailand, in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2011. For three decades, Thailand has hosted Cobra Gold, one of the largest land-based, joint, combined military training exercises in the world. A successful Cobra Gold 2011 results in increased operational readiness of U.S. and Thai forces and matured military to military relations between the two countries.

A cobra prepares to strike at an instructor of the jungle survival class being taught to Royal Thai and U.S. Marines during exercise Cobra Gold 2011, Feb. 14. The Kingdom of Thailand is the United Sates’ oldest friend and ally in Asia, and that partnership has helped keep the Asia-Pacific region secure and stable. - A cobra prepares to strike at an instructor of the jungle survival class being taught to Royal Thai and U.S. Marines during exercise Cobra Gold 2011, Feb. 14. The Kingdom of Thailand is the United Sates’ oldest friend and ally in Asia, and that partnership has helped keep the Asia-Pacific region secure and stable.