CHIANG MAI, Thailand — For Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Marcos O. Asevedo III, providing humanitarian aid, civic assistance and military training to a country known for deadly cobras, Buddhist temples and shrimp pad Thai, is a far cry from Waco.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Marcos O. Asevedo III recently participated in Cobra Gold 2011 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Cobra Gold is the largest multilateral military training exercise in the Pacific region.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Griffin photo

Asevedo, the son of Marcos Asevedo Jr., of Waco, was one of more than 7,200 U.S. service members involved in Cobra Gold 2011, the largest multilateral military training exercise in the Pacific region. Sponsored by the Royal Thai Supreme Command and the United States, Cobra Gold is conducted annually throughout the Kingdom of Thailand. This year’s participants joining the U.S. were Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea.

“As a wireman and switch board operator, I run communication lines, and set up telecommunications for the Marines,” said Asevedo, who is assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

It’s the 30th anniversary of the Cobra Gold Exercise and has developed into a symbol of the U.S. military’s commitment to maintaining peace and security in Asia.

Service members work on their tactical skills and test their ability to operate in a joint, multinational environment. These range from amphibious assaults to engineering and medical humanitarian and civic assistance projects geared toward improving the quality of life of the Thai people.

“This type of exercise is important because it allows us to learn how to set up our equipment and operate in foreign countries,” said Asevedo, a 2009 graduate of A.J. Moore Academy.

“It is very hot here and the countryside is very nice,” he added. “The people seem to be very happy to have us here helping their country.”