Photo By Maj. Tifani Summers | New York Army National Guard State Planner, Maj. Melanie Padilla works alongside her...... read more read more
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LATHAM, N.Y.– The New York Army National Guard has begun laying the groundwork for a joint exercise between New York and the Brazilian military set to take place in the fall of 2023.
Having a relationship with Brazil under the National Guard’s State Partnership Program, exercise Southern Vanguard 24 was planned during the first week of December 2022, according to U.S. Army Maj. Melanie Padilla, the New York National Guard state planner.
The planning conference held in Brazil identified training scenarios, logistical requirements, and objectives for the training event.
“Exercise Southern Vanguard is an enduring exercise to advance Brazil-US strategic partnership and increase US-Brazil human, procedural and technical interoperability,” Padilla said.
“All while enabling regional crisis response capability and capacity,” she added.
The complicated jungle terrain of Brazil makes planning well in advance even more important, as U.S. Soldiers will be operating in unfamiliar conditions, explained U.S. Army Master Sgt. Rob Mitchell, the U.S. Army South Training and Exercises non-commissioned officer in charge.
“When we come down here and train face to face, we create lifelong relationships with each other, and we learn how they apply tactics in a different terrain than what U.S. Soldiers are used to.”
The New York Army National Guard will be sending 80 personnel from the Army National Guard Medical Command, the 466th Medical Company-Area Support, the 138th Public Affairs Detachment, the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery, the 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment and the 133rd Composite Support Company.
Padilla explained that the primary missions for New York Guardsmen will be medical support, integrating staff between the U.S. and Brazil, water purification, public affairs integration with the U.S. Embassy, Brazil and U.S. Army South, and fires planning and integration.
Many of these tasks are designed to enhance readiness between New York and Brazil to be able to operate in a joint environment, Padilla said.
“The purpose of providing medical support will be to focus on the ability to conduct health protection activities to improve efficiency in providing medical care in a multinational force environment,” she said.
She also explained that the water purification efforts will be focused on the ability to conduct bulk water storage and distribution in austere environments.
New York formed a state partnership with Brazil in 2019, after having formed a partnership with South Africa in 2008, both part of the 87 partnerships the National Guard has with nations all over the world. All 54 state and territory National Guards participate in the program.
“Combatant Commands across the board are realizing (the state partnership program) is an untapped resource that is available to them to enhance relationships on the diplomatic side,” Padilla said.
Padilla said the National Guard’s expertise in planning for disaster response and catastrophic events in major metropolitan areas such as New York City, would be useful in Brazilian urban areas like Rio De Janeiro.
Because the National Guard focuses on domestic operations, the Guard is better at these missions than the active-duty military, she said.
“It’s essential to plan together and discuss the issues between the two armies,” said Brazilian army Maj. Rafael Penteado, the North Military Command G3.
“We can face each other and determine what works for both armies. For me, it’s a very great opportunity to get a shared experience with a friendly country and develop my view of the U.S. Army and its processes,” he said.
New York participated in Southern Vanguard 21 in December of 2021. Over 900 U.S. and Brazilian soldiers conducted operations in Lorena, São Paulo, Brazil, making it the largest U.S.-Brazil training exercise since World War II.
The National Guard State Partnership Program began in 1993 with 13 partners. Thirty years later, the program has grown to 95 partner-nations and is a key U.S. security cooperation tool that facilitates collaboration across all aspects of civil-military affairs, according to National Guard Bureau.
| Date Taken: | 01.13.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 01.13.2023 13:47 |
| Story ID: | 436752 |
| Location: | LATHAM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 220 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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