The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) have successfully concluded the 26th edition of the annual bilateral Exercise Valiant Mark (XVM), which was conducted from 7 to 21 October 2023. Commanding Officer 1st Battalion, Singapore Guards Lieutenant Colonel Stanley Lim and Commanding Officer 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Holland co-officiated the closing ceremony at Camp Pendleton, California on 21 October 2023.

More than 600 personnel from the SAF's 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade, 1st Battalion Singapore Guards and the USMC's 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit participated in the exercise. The exercise culminated in a battalion-level amphibious mission, involving joint planning and the capturing of urban objectives. Other exercise elements included Subject Matter Expert exchanges, urban operations training, live-firing, and brigade-level planning exercises.

Launched in 1991, XVM underscores the excellent and long-standing bilateral defence relations between Singapore and the United States. The two militaries interact regularly through numerous bilateral and multilateral exercises, high-level visits, professional exchanges as well as the cross-attendance of courses and seminars. These mutually beneficial exchanges have enhanced the cooperation and professionalism of both armed forces, and forged strong rapport and camaraderie among their personnel.