U.S. Department of Defense

U.S. Marines Participate in African Lion 2009

U.S. Marine Capt. Cliff M. Weidell, right, gives a safety and weapons handling brief before the live fire practice during Exercise African Lion 2009, in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009. Weidell is assigned to the 4th Marine Division's Headquarters Battalion, Military Police Company. The annual combined U.S.-Moroccan exercise is designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Todd C. Bristol, left, and Lance Cpl. Craig D. Thomas exmine the chamber of an M2 .50 caliber machine gun in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Dane P. Giese counts his ammunition prior to firing the M2 .50 caliber machine gun during Exercise African Lion 2009 in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009.

U.S. Marines carefully count and divide more than 5,200 rounds of ammunition for the live fire of the peacekeeping operations training of Exercise African Lion 2009 in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Thomas A. Beltran along with a Moroccan soldier, load ammunition into an M2 .50 caliber machine gun prior to a live fire practice as part of Exercise African Lion 2009, Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cody W. Rinke shares a Meal, Ready to Eat with a Moroccan soldier during a break from the live fire training of the peacekeeping operations exercise of Exercise African Lion 2009 in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009. During the training the Marines and Moroccans increased their interoperability and camaraderie through many built friendships. Rinke is assigned to the 4th Marine Division's Headquarters Battalion, Military Police Company.

U.S. Marines assigned to the 4th Marine Division's Headquarters Battalion, Military Police Company anticipate the command to approach the firing line during live-fire training at Exercise African Lion 2009 in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009. For many U.S. Marines it was their first opportunity to fire the Moroccans’ AK-47 service rifles.

U.S. Marines assigned to the 4th Marine Division's Headquarters Battalion, Military Police Company double time down the firing line after shooting Moroccan AK-47 service rifles in Tifnit, Morocco, during Exercise African Lion 2009, May 6, 2009.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Tou Vang, left, and two Moroccan soldiers studies the target after firing the Moroccans’ AK-47 service rifle in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009. The annually scheduled combined U.S.-Moroccan exercise is designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics. Vang is assigned to the 4th Marine Division's Headquarters Battalion, Military Police Company and participating in the peacekeeping operations training of Exercise African Lion 2009.

U.S. Marine Capt. Cliff M. Weidell, right, gives a safety and weapons handling brief before the live fire practice during Exercise African Lion 2009, in Tifnit, Morocco, May 6, 2009. Weidell is assigned to the 4th Marine Division's Headquarters Battalion, Military Police Company. The annual combined U.S.-Moroccan exercise is designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Master Sgt. Grady T. Fontana