Photo By Cpl. Scott Whiting | United States Marine Corps Lt. Col. Trevor Hall, the commanding officer of Black Sea...... read more read more
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MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania - After approximately two weeks of multinational, integrated military training, exercise Platinum Wolf 14 officially concluded July 11, 2014. The exercise instilled a meaningful experience in the participating service members allowing them to train together with multiple partners and allies in the region.
This is the first iteration of the Platinum Wolf exercise, hosted by Serbia, with members of the Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Azerbaijani, Macedonian and United States militaries participating in the exercise. The exercise focused on non-lethal system training and peacetime operations in order to foster greater interoperability with each other while promoting peace and prosperity in the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus regions of Eastern Europe.
Marines and sailors of Black Sea Rotational Force 14.2, from 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, trained with every nation on non-lethal systems techniques during the first week of Platinum Wolf, and executed peacekeeping operations training during the second week of the exercise.
“This whole exercise is really designed to create interoperability with all the countries,” said Capt. Thomas Perna, the acting company commander for the exercise. “In the future if we need to work together, we have an idea of how we all work, and we can integrate that into our planning process and execute missions.”
The second week of training consisted of learning different formations and patrolling techniques, establishing patrol bases, executing reconnaissance patrols, convoy operations and security, and how to search vehicles and personnel when guarding a base.
“As individual forces, we all come away better trained,” said Lt. Col. Trevor Hall, the commanding officer of Black Sea Rotational Force 14.2, from 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. “As peacekeeping forces, we come away better integrated and prepared to work together again.”
The seven-nation multinational exercise brought out a large group of important visitors on the last day of training, including the American Ambassador to Serbia, Michael Kirby.
“We conducted all the activities together, which shows we can plan and conduct peacekeeping operations together in a multinational environment,” said Serbian Col. Sladjan Stamenkovic, the exercise director for Platinum Wolf 14. “We received remarks and praise on distinguished visitors’ day from the highest authorities of our country which confirm that.”
With this being the first iteration of the exercise, there are things which can be improved, but overall, participating service members agrees Platinum Wolf 14 was a success.
“This has been a great experience,” Perna said. “The nations were easily able to come together, learn from each other, and operate well in a joint environment.”
| Date Taken: | 07.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 07.16.2014 10:10 |
| Story ID: | 136285 |
| Location: | MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, RO |
| Web Views: | 508 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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