Dive training enhances the skills of allied and partner nations during TRADEWINDS 24

Photo By Army South Courtesy Asset | Divers conduct dive training drills at Barbados Coast Guard Base Station Pelican, Barbados, during TRADEWINDS 24 (TW24) on May 06, 2024. TW24 is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored, regionally oriented annual exercise and is part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Large Scale Global Exercise 24, a series of all-domain military exercises executed alongside Allies and partners around the globe. (Barbados Defence Force Photo by Able Bodied Tramaine Bryan)  

BARBADOS

05.06.2024

Story by Army South Courtesy Asset 

U.S. Army South

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – In the event of a disaster or rescue, every second counts. A number of qualified divers from participating regional forces in TRADEWINDS 24, will now be in a better position to coordinate the disaster relief response and to save lives.

The teams underwent a training exercise approximately 300 meters off the Barbados Coast Guard’s Pelican Base to fine-tune their skills as part of the maritime component of the ongoing two-week long military exercise, May 6.

“In times of an emergency or in a disaster relief situation, there is no time to waste. We need to be on point and react very quickly,” said Canadian Navy Lt. Slava Khabian, the Canadian clearance diving officer at the Naval Fleet School at Atlantic and Halifax, underscored the importance of timely rescues in any disaster.

TRADEWINDS 24, nested under the Joint Staff Chiefs of Staff Large Scale Global Exercise 2024, enables the U.S. Joint Force to train with its Allies and partners to improve understanding, trust and interoperability on security challenges across the globe. Continued exchanges of knowledge and expertise provides the opportunity for participating nations to improve interoperability and effectively execute future maritime, land operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster response in today’s dynamic security environment.

At the end of the training exercise, Khabian was optimistic that there would be better cooperation among dive teams as participants are taught dive planning, effective communication between the divers and the operation center, receiving planning mission instructions, and planning and executing dive missions.

“In an exercise like this when we can all work and understand how we do business, we are able to integrate together and work more efficiently,” he said.

• Date Taken: 05.06.2024
• Date Posted: 05.10.2024 12:16
• Story ID: 470943
• Location: BB