More than 1,100 Marines are headed home after a six-month training rotation in Australia’s Northern Territory.
Marine Rotational Force-Darwin began its departure on Oct. 17, bound for Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Marine Corps Base Hawaii, according to a Marine Corps statement.
During their time in Australia, the Marines were based at Robertson Barracks and Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin. They conducted live-fire and other training that incorporated tanks, artillery, infantry and reconnaissance helicopters, according to the statement.
It was the third rotation in Australia under a program announced by President Barack Obama in 2011.
The Marines have been gradually increasing the number of personnel deployed to Darwin with the goal of sending a 2,500-strong Marine Air Ground Task Force to train in Australia each year from 2016.
Second Lt. Martin Harris, a Marine Corps public affairs officer, said the 2015 rotation will be the same size as this year’s.
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