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    Georgian MOD honors 5 Marines and a sailor for GDP-ISAF contributions

    Georgian MOD honors five Marines and a sailor for GDP-ISAF contributions

    Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero | Marine Lt. Gen. Dennis Hejlik, commanding general of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command...... read more read more

    VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Five Marines and one sailor were honored by representatives of the Republic of Georgia’s Ministry of Defense for their contributions in support of the Georgia Deployment Program –International Security Assistance Force during an award ceremony at Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group, Joint expeditionary Base Little Creek – Fort Story, Va., May 4.

    Marine Col. Christopher McCarthy, Lt. Col. Daniel Thoele, Maj. Joshua Anderson, Capt. Arlon Smith, and Staff Sgt. Everett Brown were presented the Gen. Giorgi Mazniashvili Medal. The Gen. Giorgi Mazniashvili Medal is the fourth highest individual award in the Georgian Armed Forces. Also recognized was Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Tilley, who was presented the Georgian Ministry of Defense Medal.

    According to their citation, these Marines greatly contributed to the expansion of the program and their considerable achievements, tireless efforts, and steadfast professionalism that reflected great credit upon the unit, the United States Marine Corps and the United States of America.

    U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe (MARFOREUR) is the lead component for planning, coordination and execution of the GDP-ISAF program and Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group is the lead command with direct responsibility for training the Georgian battalions with support from Training and Education Command (TECOM) and multiple Operating Force units. The Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group coordinates, manages, executes, and evaluates Marine Corps Security Cooperation programs and activities in order to facilitate service and regional component support to combatant commanders’ objectives.

    The original GDP-ISAF program was a two-year train and equip mission designed to prepare four Georgian infantry battalions in sequence for operations in Afghanistan with Regional Command Southwest - RC(SW). As of May 2011, the program is now GDP-ISAF II, a subsequent extension of the original program for training and deploying nine additional Georgian infantry battalions over three years.

    “GDP-ISAF is a very unique mission – it shows how adaptive the Marine Corps can be when we applied to building the capacity of partner nations,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Brown, operations officer at MCSCG and a native of the Silicon Valley in California. “The mission also demonstrates how building partner capacity can have a significant impact on assisting the U.S. with confronting challenges around the globe – Afghanistan in this case.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.04.2012
    Date Posted: 05.04.2012 17:09
    Story ID: 87925
    Location: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US

    Web Views: 329
    Downloads: 3

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