DRAPER – The Utah National Guard is gearing up to join an earthquake preparedness exercise known as “Moroc Mantlet,” scheduled to take place from Sept. 9 to 23. Coincidentally, this exercise commences just days after Morocco experienced a significant 6.8 magnitude earthquake near Marrakech.

Moroc Mantlet is an annual disaster response drill with a track record spanning several years. Its primary objective is to bolster disaster recovery and response capabilities, focusing on enhancing military-to-civilian interaction and honing response and recovery protocols. The Utah National Guard has had the privilege of participating in exercises like these alongside the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces for the past two decades. We continually admire the competence and professionalism exhibited by our Moroccan counterparts, who share values such as a profound commitment to family and community, aligning with our own as Utah citizens.

Over the last two days, the Utah National Guard has dispatched approximately 20 personnel to Morocco, with expectations of nearly 40 more arriving in the country before Sept. 12, all actively engaged in the Moroc Mantlet exercise. While these exercise participants stand poised to support Moroccan authorities in responding to the recent earthquake, they will concurrently pursue their scheduled missions unless directed otherwise.

As the Utah National Guard, we take pride in being a community-based force comprised of well-trained citizen-Soldiers and Airmen. Our enduring partnership with Morocco, U.S. allies since 1777, underscores our commitment to respond promptly to assigned missions, whether at home or anywhere across the globe.

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