Georgia's 48th IBCT fosters interoperability with coalition partners

Photo By Spc. Hannah Fulcher | In a joint force effort, Senior Airman Mark Iden, tactical air control party member with Savannah's own 165th Air Support Operations Squad, gathers grid coordinates to send to the Apaches for air support during a combined arms live-fire exercise mission. "This is the best training I have ever had the opportunity to participate in," said Iden. "We have mortars, small arms and air support out here. Normally we only have the opportunity to work with our side [air support] of things, so it is good to see the full-fledged side of how it is supposed to work. Because this is how it will be if we deployed to a combat zone."  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

09.26.2013

Story by Spc. Britni Alexander 

124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORT STEWART, Ga. - On the morning of Sept. 11, 2013, a number of memorial services were held across the United States. But there was one at the Georgia Garrison Training Center in Fort Stewart that was noticeably different.

During an eXportable Combat Training Capabilities program, soldiers from the British Territorial Army, the Canadian Primary Reserve and the Air Guard’s 165th Air Support Operations Squadron joined their counterparts in the Georgia Guard’s 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) in paying respects to the lives lost in the 12 years of conflict since 9/11.

The ceremony was just one manifestation of an international alliance that is integral to the brigade’s success in operations in both Iraq an Afghanistan.

The 48th IBCT has had a long-standing alliance with the 48th Highlanders, headquartered in Toronto.

“We’ve developed a special relationship with both first and second [battalion],” commented Capt. Jean-Michel Gidlow. “The way a partnership like this is fostered is by having joint training operations like XCTC, or Southern Bear as we refer to it. We’ve had the tremendous opportunity to completely integrate, all the way down to the squad level, for this operation, and the benefits of that are exponential.”

The 48th Highlanders are affiliated with the Royal Regiment of Scotland. It is the longest running alliance in British military history and dates back to 1904. The 48th IBCT’s alliance with the Canadians opened the door to forming their own alliance with the Scots.

Sgt. Maj. Kevin O’Hara of the 51st Highlanders, 7th Scottish Regiment out of Perth has worked with American forces before in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I hope my guys get a bit of understanding about how coalition partnerships actually work. We have the same mission. A large majority of what we do is basically the same and all that’s actually different is the wording. It’s important for the boys to see that,” O'Hara said.

One example of the barrier in wording is that what the Scots refer to as an “advance to contact” would be called a “movement to contact” by American soldiers. Learning these small differences can have a huge impact when it comes to being able to quickly band together for a mission.

“It’s very important that we work on interoperability with our coalition partners because on the field of battle, now and in the future, rarely will we go in without international elements,” said Col. Randall V. Simmons Jr., 48th IBCT commander. “It is very important for us to understand how they do things and for them to understand how we do things and to be able to make those differences work together.”

• Date Taken: 09.26.2013
• Date Posted: 09.26.2013 13:51
• Story ID: 114320
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US
• Hometown: TORONTO, ON, CA
• Hometown: GRIFFIN, GA, US
• Hometown: MACON, GA, US
• Hometown: SAVANNAH, GA, US
• Hometown: WINDER, GA, US