MLAC ice breaker allows leaders to build relationships

Photo By Cpl. J Nava | Gen. James F. Amos, 35th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, makes a toast using a local Peruvian drink called a Pisco Sour after delivering his opening remarks at the ice breaker event during the Marine Leaders of the Americas Conference 2011. The MLAC offers senior Marine leaders from North, Central, and South America a venue to discuss regional issues and develop professional relationships.  

LIMA, PERU

08.29.2011

Story by Cpl. J Nava 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South

LIMA, Peru - The Marine Leaders of the Americas Conference 2011 hosted an evening event dubbed the ice breaker to allow the leaders of the partner nations their first chance to get to know their counterparts on a more personal level, Aug. 29.

The bi-annual MLAC offers senior leaders from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and the U.S. an opportunity to exchange knowledge and discuss common security issues. The ice breaker was the first time at this year's conference in which all the leaders were together.

“[MLAC] is a good opportunity for leaders to come together to talk about common challenges and what leaders are doing to confront those challenges and to share those lessons learned,” said Maj. Gen. John M. Croley, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South. “We're hoping to understand a little more about each other and understand the challenges of what we need to train better to work together more closely.”

The ice breaker was the first formal event of the conference, which also aims to foster professional relationships between the Marine Corps and Naval Infantries of North, Central and South America.

“My expectations are high that we as brothers in the naval infantry, soldiers of the sea, will develop professional and personal relationships as we discuss common security threats in the Americas,” said Gen. James F. Amos, 35th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps and a key speaker at the event.

Over local Peruvian music, cuisine and drinks the leaders met with one another and discussed the matters at hand that affected them as a whole. The leaders also discussed their hopes to better conduct bi-lateral operations with their partner nations to train and enhance each other's capabilities in order to respond to any imminent threat or crisis.

“Usually in the case of a natural disaster it's the Marines – the naval infantries – that can respond very quickly to an emergency,” Croley said. “We need to train better to work together more closely.”

Throughout the night it became evident that even though the leaders spoke different languages and their respective forces had a somewhat different mission, there were many more similarities than there were differences.

Some of the roles of each country's military may differ in mission, explained Croley. “But, [we're] all similar to what we do in being global soldiers of the sea – coming from the sea, working in a lateral environment from a naval service.”

The ice breaker's end marked the beginning of the 2011 iteration of the conference, with more venues to discuss more possibilities, opportunities and solutions to common problems.

“I am very pleased to have the advantage of this great opportunity to exchange experiences and to build professional and personal relationships,” said Rear Adm. Luis Ramos Vargas, commandant of the Peruvian Marine Corps and the other keynote speaker at the event.

• Date Taken: 08.29.2011
• Date Posted: 08.30.2011 23:37
• Story ID: 76201
• Location: LIMA, PE