Navy, Marine Corps begin this year’s CARAT drills in Thailand

Navy, Marine Corps begin this year’s CARAT drills in Thailand

By CAITLIN DOORNBOS | STARS AND STRIPES

The Navy and Marine Corps have kicked off a series of bilateral exercises aimed at strengthening professional skills and building friendships with several Southeast Asian nations.

The 24th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, or CARAT, which began Wednesday in Thailand, also includes stops in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Bangladesh. Similar training will also occur with Vietnam and the Philippines.

“The CARAT exercise series provides a unique and vital opportunity for our navies to understand the challenges inherent in a complex maritime environment, and on how to work through them in a cooperative manner,” Capt. Lex Walker, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 7, said in a Navy statement.

Full story: https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/navy-marine-corps-begin-this-year-s-carat-drills-in-thailand-1.532680

-- STARS AND STRIPES 2018-06-14