Multi-National Forces Train for upcoming Exercise

CENTRAL CITY, UKRAINE

09.13.2010

Story by Pfc. MatthewMatthew Wright 

40th Infantry Division

CENTRAL CITY, Ukraine – In today’s world with the war on terror many new types of tactics emerge in the military. One type of training, though it may feel like an old hat to most soldiers, can never be practiced enough. This training is the cordon and search.

During the Rapid Trident multi-national training mission, a group of soldiers began training at the 15th Training Place here, for preparation of the Field Training Exercise that is upcoming this week for Rapid Trident 2010. Soldiers from Poland, Ukraine and the United States were training for a cordon and search exercise as well as training for dealing with insurgents at a check point.

A cordon and search is where military forces surround a target such as a building and then enter to secure a high value target.

The Polish Scout Recon Platoon gave a demonstration on the procedures of a cordon and search tactic by rescuing a hostage.

After securing the outer perimeter the Polish forces moved into the building they had surrounded and executed their attack.

Capt. Sebastian Surman, the Polish Company Commander of the Reconnaissance Company of the 25th Air Recovery Brigade explained what these exercises were for and the purpose behind them.

“We are conducting classes for cordon and search operations in different areas,” said Surman. “We are practicing different phases like the outer cordon, the inner cordon and preparing the teams going inside the buildings.”

With two sectors of security, the outer and inner cordon, there is less chance for insurgents to escape or enter the secured site.

Participating in Rapid Trident for the first time, the Polish Recon Scouts successfully executed their training mission. We are participating with Rapid Trident because these classes and exercises will be a good experience for our troops, said Surman.

The three armies involved worked together during the practice lanes.

“They are doing a joint maneuver with all three [nations]. The three armies have a company of mechanized Ukrainian soldiers, a platoon of Polish scouts, and they have an American infantry platoon,” said Master Sgt. Robert Pickett from the 1/184th Infantry unit, Utah National Guard.

Another lane training exercise, spearheaded by the Ukrainian soldiers was a mock insurgent attack on a checkpoint. The idea behind the exercise was to train their soldiers how to deal with different scenarios involving insurgency tactics. During the exercise a soldier playing the role of an insurgent would try to distract the guard at the checkpoint while other mock insurgents tried to secure a position from which they could attack.

The training that the multi-national soldiers participated in wasn’t new to them, but for many of the soldiers it was the first time they had the opportunity to train with another nation. This brings a wealth of different knowledge and experiences to the multi-national soldiers, allowing them to leave the exercise with sharpened skills and a new look on familiar training.

• Date Taken: 09.13.2010
• Date Posted: 09.13.2010 04:56
• Story ID: 56182
• Location: CENTRAL CITY, UA