Military

Camp Pendleton Battalion Heading To Australia In Spring 2014

By Beth Ford Roth / Home Post Blogger

Published December 4, 2013 at 8:14 AM PST

This story was published more than 11 years ago.

Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment aboard Camp Pendleton, Aug. 2, 2013.

More than 1,100 Marines from Camp Pendleton will head to Australia in Spring 2014, according to the Marine Corps Times.

Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines will be the first battalion from California to participate in Marine Rotational Force-Darwin.

The first two rotations involved Marines stationed in Hawaii.

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A little background on Marine Rotational Force-Darwin: Back in 2011, President Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced U.S. Marines would be deployed to Australia in six month rotations:

During this period, they will conduct exercises and training on a rotational basis with the Australian Defence Force.

The intent in the coming years is to establish a rotational presence of up to a 2,500-person Marine Air Ground Task Force.

Marine Forces Pacific commander, Lt. Gen. Terry Robling, told the Marine Corps Times the 1/5 will be based at Robertson Barracks, a major Australian Army base.