AKIPRESS.COM - After 12 days of instruction and hands-on training, the Non-Lethal Weapons Executive Seminar 2016 came to an end with the closing ceremony during the leadership seminar last weekend, according to the official U.S. Marine Corps website.

Service members from the Mongolian Armed Forces, Mongolian National Police Department and U.S. Marines with 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force, as well as representatives from 18 nations across the Indo-Asia-Pacific, participated in NOLES.

This year marked the 15th iteration of the exercise. NOLES is a regularly scheduled U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific field training exercise and leadership seminar hosted annually by various nations. NOLES 2016 consisted of a field training exercise, or FTX, from September 12-21 and a three-day leadership seminar from September 21-23. The exercise promotes awareness and effective use of non-lethal weapons to maintain order during civil unrest.

During the FTX, service members learned different tactics consisting of Taser and oleoresin capsicum exposure, mechanical advantage control holds techniques, non-lethal munitions and live fire and riot-control techniques.

During the seminar portion, senior leaders from various nations participated in several briefs consisting of human rights laws, cultural awareness, non-lethal technology and two practice scenarios. During the scenarios, leaders formed groups where they applied non-lethal tactics and weapons to approach different situations.

Next year’s NOLES will take place in Sri Lanka.