US Marine Corps Reserve Begins Pinnacle Training in California

More than 4,300 Marines and Sailors from the U.S. Marine Forces Reserve are mobilizing from across the country as part of Marine Air-Ground Task Force 23 (MAGTF-23) to conduct Integrated Training Exercise 4-22 (ITX) at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, California.

ITX is a live-fire exercise combining infantry, artillery, aircraft, combat logistics and all the supporting elements to train battalion and squadron-sized units in the tactical application of combined-arms maneuver, offensive and defensive operations during combat.

“As the Marine Corps Reserve’s premier annual training event, ITX provides us opportunities to rehearse mobilizing geographically dispersed forces for a deployment; to increase our combat readiness and lethality; and to exercise command and control of battalions and squadrons across the full spectrum of warfare,” said Col. Quintin Jones, MAGTF-23 commanding officer. “MAGTF-23 has been planning and preparing for this exercise for months and we are ready to face the challenges that come with ITX.”

This year’s iteration of ITX will be led by 23rd Marine Regiment Headquarters, which is based in San Bruno, California, and is the command element. The ground combat element is made up of 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines, headquartered in Bridgeton, Mo., and 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, headquartered in Garden City, New York. The aviation combat element is formed from Marine Aircraft Group 41, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and the logistics combat element is made up from Combat Logistics Battalion 23, headquartered at Joint Base Lewis McCord, Washington.

“As outlined in the recent Force Design 2030 annual update, we are incorporating active duty Marine units into the Reserve MAGTF to increase Total Force integration and proficiency,” said Jones. “As iron sharpens iron, having the Active Component working alongside the Reserve Component helps forge an operationally ready Reserve for employment across the full spectrum of crisis and global engagement.”

Active Component Marines from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, based at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and augments from 10th Marines, based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, will be fully integrated with MAGTF-23.

At the conclusion of ITX 4-22, MAGTF-23 will have attained a heightened level of readiness and will be the first Marine Forces Reserve unit called upon in the event of a global contingency.