Sgt. Nicholas Maugeri, squad leader with Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, teams up with Georgian soldiers to conduct Military Operations in an Urban Terrain training July 19 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Photo by Cpl. Nana Dannsaappiah

Georgian soldiers can be found fighting alongside U.S. Marines on the frontlines of the Afghanistan. But to ensure both parties work well together on the battlefield requires practice conducted on the training grounds.

Marines from Anti-Terrorism Battalion based in Rochester, N.Y., and Black Sea Rotational Force 11, alongside soldiers from the Georgian 4th Infantry Brigade practiced Military Operations in an Urban Terrain (MOUT) during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between the forces by exchanging and enhancing each country’s capacity in counterinsurgency (COIN) and peacekeeping (PKO) operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations and counter-improvised explosive device training.

“Because of our partnership in Afghanistan, and in order to work with us and support our mission, the [Georgian soldiers] have to be able to move and do what we do or at least understand it,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Bauer, an infantryman with Black Sea Rotational Force 11 and an Elk Grove, Calif., native.

In Overseas Contingency Operations, Marines conduct COIN operations in which they encounter enemies holed-up in small towns and villages. The urban environment presents challenges to troop safety and mission accomplishment because the enemy has cover and concealment in the buildings in towns and villages.

The interoperability training between the Georgians and the Marines focused on overcoming MOUT challenges by sharing proven tactics and techniques among each other and practicing them numerous times.

The Marines and Georgians began their training with lessons from instructors on principles of MOUT and different techniques for room clearing. The instructors drew diagrams and gave demonstrations while translators echoed their messages to the students.

The students showed their interest in the subject with frequent questions.

With almost 1,000 troops contributing in Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand province, room-clearing techniques, MOUT and COIN training can really help while fighting on the frontlines alongside U.S. Marines.

Following the classes, the Marines and Georgians teamed up to apply the lessons they were taught.

Instructors observed as mixed teams of Marines and Georgians entered buildings and cleared rooms. They looked for application of basic techniques and principles. The instructors occasionally stopped the teams to point out any missed steps or mistakes and explained the reasons for applying specific techniques.

“We utilize techniques to make sure we are as safe as possible inside a house,” said Gunnery Sgt. Charles Evers, an infantryman with Black Sea Rotational Force 11 and a Lewiston, Idaho, native.

Sgt. Spencer McAvoy, a squad leader with Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, clears a room with Georgian soldiers July 19 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Photo by Cpl. Nana Dannsaappiah

With each round, the teams were clearing rooms with fewer mistakes, and the instructors didn’t have to interrupt and explain as many times.

After several times maneuvering through the buildings, the teams were moving through faster and smoothly by communicating and synching their movements.

The smiles on their faces overshadowed the sweat running down their foreheads as they gave each other thumbs ups and traded “kudos” after practicing clearing rooms several times, gaining more comfort.

“They are doing good and understanding proper room clearing tactics and techniques,” said Cpl. Nicholas Ediss, a fire team leader with the BSRF-11, and a Reno, Nev., native.

“It’s a great first time because even with the language barrier, we are able to work together.

The Marines and the Georgian Armed Forces will be training alongside each other for the next two weeks of Agile Spirit. This type of training and interoperability is a stepping stone to the success of the joint missions that are currently being conducted in Afghanistan.

Black Sea Rotational Force 11 is a rotational deployment of Marines to the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus regions to work with partner and allied nations to help build their military capacity, promote stability throughout the region, and build enduring partnerships with 13 nations throughout Eastern Europe.

DVIDS
Story by Cpl. Nana Dannsaappiah

A young Georgian woman discusses the aftermath of the Russian invasion

Situation in Georgia

The war in Georgia is over, and nowadays my country is engaged in an endless labyrinth of negotiations with Russia. Life is back to normal but it doesn’t mean that problems for Georgians are solved.

Unfortunately, after 4 months there is no actual result for Russians leaving Georgia. Thousands of refugees are coming from the occupied areas. Thanks to the subsidies from international organizations or other countries government manages to give them shelter and food. But it can’t alternate their home!

Russian troops are still standing in Georgian territories, checking each Georgian citizen who is trying to visit back to their places. God, I have to ask permission to Russian soldiers for letting me in my own village to see my grandparents! People who preferred not to leave their houses in the occupied territories are asked (or ordered) to get Russian passports.

Almost every day Russians are trying to get Georgia back to war with provocative actions. Couple days ago Abkhazian and Russian troops riddled Georgian posts near conflict areas. Russia is trying to use its influence and makes statement that it is against EU monitors in Georgian conflict areas.

Georgia was one of the fastest developing countries before the conflict. Investments were made in the country, the tourist sector was very successful, but Russian-Georgian war destroyed it all. And now it will take years to recover the damage.

Georgia is supposed to get over 4 billion as grants and long-term loans. The future of Georgia depends on effective usage and distribution of this money.

Hopefully with careful, wise management of subsidies and cooperation we’ll be able to get our country back!

POTI, Georgia, Sept. 5, 2008 – USS Mount Whitney pulled into port here today, transporting humanitarian relief supplies in support of “Operation Assured Delivery.”

The delivery is part of the larger U.S. response to the Georgian government’s request for humanitarian assistance after the conflict with Russian forces last month.

Mount Whitney will deliver more than 17 tons of aid, including 4,000 blankets donated by the U.S. Agency for International Development, juice, powdered milk and hygiene products.

In the past few weeks, USS McFaul and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas carried more than 115 tons of humanitarian supplies to the port in Batumi, Georgia, while U.S. Navy C-9, C-40 and C-130 aircraft flew 20 continuous missions airlifting 325 tons of humanitarian aid into the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

USS Mount Whitney has a hybrid crew of U.S. Navy sailors and civilian mariners, and is home-ported in Gaeta, Italy

DoD

The United States Supports The Recovery, Stability, And Continued Growth Of Georgia’s Economy

U.S. assistance will aid Georgia’s economy and seeks to ensure Georgia regains its position as one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

Georgia’s economy grew by 12 percent in 2007, as a result of solid macroeconomic management, openness to trade and investment, and business-friendly economic policies. The Government of Georgia has reiterated its commitment to the sound policies that have led to this success. The United States is committed to assisting Georgia to remain on this path and will help Georgia’s economy recover from conflict.

The United States Will Provide Economic And Humanitarian Support To Georgia

• The United States is making a multiyear commitment of $1 billion in support of Georgia’s economic recovery and humanitarian needs. Approximately half of the total will be made available to meet immediate requirements using existing FY 2008 and FY 2009 resources, and the balance of funding will be budgeted for next year to address longer-term requirements. This assistance will be used for budget support to the Government of Georgia, infrastructure rehabilitation, private sector financing, humanitarian assistance, and other development activities. As part of this package, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation will be providing $150 million in investment of private sector investment projects in Georgia.

• Humanitarian assistance will continue to help Georgians displaced by invasion. The United States began providing humanitarian assistance to meet the immediate needs of the Georgian people at the onset of the conflict. To date, the United States has provided nearly $30 million in humanitarian assistance by sea, land, and air. The United States military, in partnership with the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, has led this effort with 61 trips and two maritime shipments to Georgia, delivering more than 1,200 tons of food and medical supplies.

• The United States is working closely with our multilateral development bank partners as they formulate their plans to help Georgia meet its reconstruction needs and leverage the private investment needed for future growth. Georgia has an impressive track record of reform, and its economic fundamentals have increasingly strengthened. The United States strongly supports Georgia’s engagement strategy with the International Monetary Fund to bolster market confidence and support the Georgian government as it addresses economic challenges resulting from the conflict.

• The United States will deepen its trade and investment ties with Georgia. The United States will broaden its Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Georgia, explore negotiating an enhanced bilateral investment treaty, propose new legislation to expand preferential access to the U.S. market for Georgian exports, and provide trade-related technical assistance, including by helping Georgia take full advantage of the Generalized System of Preferences. The United States will assist American firms to invest in Georgia and sponsor exchanges to enhance ties between the U.S. and Georgian business communities.

• Marine war risk insurance will support maritime commerce with Georgia. The President will exercise his authority to make sure that insurance against loss or damage caused by acts of war relating to the conflict in Georgia will be available if commercial insurance is not available on reasonable terms.

• The United States will work with the European Union to assist Georgia with its reconstruction and will participate in the international conference on Georgia’s reconstruction. The United States has joined the EU in condemning Russia’s decision to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and in calling on other states not to recognize these Georgian separatist regions.

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The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716) and the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) transit through the Black Sea en route to the Republic of Georgia to deliver humanitarian relief supplies. Dallas is carrying more than 76,000 pounds of supplies, including soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, baby wipes, toilet paper and other necessities. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Lauren Jorgensen/Released)

We had the opportunity to interview the Captain of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas in today’s Bloggers’ Roundtable. Capt. Robert Wagner talked about his mission to bring aid to Georgia.

Dallas was loaded with 80 pallets of supplies at Souda Bay, Crete. Dallas is not a freight vessel so a dockside crane was used to load the 76,000 pounds of assistance. She had already obtained permission from the Turks to transit the Straits for other purposes so sailing into the Black Sea was not an issue.

Dallas rendezvoused with the USS McFaul just outside Georgian territorial waters to take the task force commander, Capt. John Moore, commodore, Combined Task Force 367, and other personnel aboard. They were met by Georgian Coast Guard vessels as they entered Georgian waters and escorted to the port of Batumi.

A Georgian forklift driver drives toward a pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies being crane lifted from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716). Dallas arrived with more than 76,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to be delivered to the people of Georgia in response to the request of the government of the Republic of Georgia. Dallas is part of Combined Task Force 367, the maritime element of the U.S. humanitarian assistance mission to Georgia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eddie Harrison/Released)

The Georgians were prepared and a barge crane was used to unload the aid supplies. Unloading took about four hours.

A pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies is offloaded from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716). Dallas arrived with more than 76,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to be delivered to the people of Georgia in response to the request of the government of the Republic of Georgia. Dallas is part of Combined Task Force 367, the maritime element of the U.S. humanitarian assistance mission to Georgia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eddie Harrison/Released)

Captain Wagner described the greeting from the Georgians as an “amazingly warm welcome”. He said it was “a proud day to be an American”. A crowd of about a thousand people greeted the ship, waving American flags and Georgian flags.

Local Georgians greet Capt. John Moore, commodore, Combined Task Force 367, shortly after the arrival of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716). Dallas arrived with more than 76,000 pounds of humanitarian assistance supplies to be given to the people of Georgia in response to the request of the government of the Republic of Georgia. Dallas is part of Combined Task Force 367, the maritime element of the U.S. humanitarian assistance mission to Georgia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eddie Harrison/Released)

Dallas left port before sunset on Wednesday, August 27, mission accomplished. She rendezvoused with the USS McFaul just outside Georgian territorial waters to return the Commodore and other personnel, and then continued with her originally assigned duties.

During the aid mission, Dallas saw only one Russian vessel, a Krivak class frigate. Their behavior was “professional” and Captain Wagner felt no threats to his vessel during the mission.

John Donovan reminds us that he is carrying reports from Georgia at his site.

Walking the Walk – 1
Walking the Walk – 2