Marine Leaders of The Americas Conference (MLAC) 2025

U.S. Marine Col. Jay Huston, SPMAGTF-24 commanding officer, looks over the Exercise Partnership of the Americas (POA) 2009 schedule of events as the USS Mesa Verde, off the shore of Naval Station Mayport, prepares to deploy troops in support of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 24 (SPMAGTF-24). The Marines of SPMAGTF-24 are participating in POA jointly with UNITAS Gold, the oldest joint naval exercise in the Department of Defense. The Operational Fleet is comprised of more than 25 vessels, 50 rotary and fixed wing aircraft, 650 U.S. Marines, 6,500 U.S. Sailors and four submarines supported by cooperating countries to include troops from Canada, Brazil, Germany, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. (USMC photo by Sgt. Jonathan T. Spencer)