Marines during a diving exercise off Zeewijk beach, with the oil storage tanks in the background – near the Marine Corps Base Savaneta.
ORANJESTAD--United States marines from the Second Reconnaissance Battalion, part of the Second Marine Division, are currently stationed in Aruba for Caribbean Coastal Warrior 2025. This month-long dive training exercise with the Dutch Marine Squadron Carib will end on June 9.
The annual exercise is part of an ongoing exchange programme between the Dutch and US naval forces, with training alternating between the Caribbean and the United States. This year’s focus is on tactical diving using rebreather systems, conducted by specialised dive teams from the United States Marine Corps.
Dutch Marines from Marine Squadron Carib Aruba, the Marine Detachment St. Maarten, and boat units from both Aruba and Curaçao participated in Caribbean Urban Warrior, a similar joint exercise held at Camp Lejeune, the US Marine Corps base in North Carolina, earlier this year, in April.
These bilateral training missions are aimed at strengthening operational cooperation, building camaraderie and enhancing mutual capabilities through shared learning experiences in both regions.
