Marines and Sailors with 81mm Mortars Platoon, Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, wait for fire missions during a joint live fire exercise from July 11. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU were in Australia participating in exercise Talisman Sabre 2011. TS11 is the largest joint military exercise undertaken by the Australian Defence Force. Around 14,000 U.S. and 9,000 Australian personnel are participating. This exercise will increase interoperability, flexibility, and readiness, all of which are force multipliers in maintaining peace and stability in the Pacific. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Marines and Sailors with 81mm Mortars Platoon, Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, wait for fire missions during a joint live fire exercise from July 11. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU were in Australia participating in exercise Talisman Sabre 2011. TS11 is the largest joint military exercise undertaken by the Australian Defence Force. Around 14,000 U.S. and 9,000 Australian personnel are participating. This exercise will increase interoperability, flexibility, and readiness, all of which are force multipliers in maintaining peace and stability in the Pacific. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.