US, Kuwaitis conduct defensive exercise 'together'

Photo By Sgt. Christopher Johnston | Lt. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, Third Army/ARCENT commanding general, receives a gift from Staff Col. Bassel Ahmed Al-Suwaidi, 15th Mubarak Brigade commander after observing the defensive live fire exercise, Saweyan Shield, at the Udairi Range Complex near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 28. Saweyan Shield, named after the Arabic word for “together”, was a partnership training exercise between the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division and the Kuwaiti 15th Mubarak Brigade, continuing to strengthen military ties and promoting security in the region.  

CAMP BUEHRING, KUWAIT

12.03.2012

Story by Sgt. Christopher Johnston 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Soldiers assigned to Company B and Company C, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and Kuwaiti soldiers assigned to the 15th Mubarak Brigade conducted Saweyan Shield, a live fire exercise, at the Udairi Range Complex near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 28.

Saweyan is the Arabic word for “together” or “unity”.

The soldiers from both brigades have been training together for several weeks, beginning with basic skills such as land navigation and first aid, then progressing to more complex skills such as urban operations.

"It is great to have the opportunity to work with them," Capt. Donald Bigham, Company B commander, 1-15 IN said of the Kuwaitis. "They are very experienced soldiers, they are very good tactically, and they have good weapon systems that allow them to do their mission."

The live-fire exercise began with more than a dozen Kuwaiti M-84 tanks and four Bradley Fighting Vehicles in a defensive position. Kuwaiti F-18 Hornets then initiated contact with targets using close air support strikes followed by Kuwaiti AH-64 Apache helicopters providing close combat attacks.

"This is how they fight, this is what they train for," said Maj. Joe Ruzicka, operations officer for 1-15 IN. "What we saw today was that they are truly capable of defending their country if need be."

The main element of the defensive position made a call to Baker Team, comprised of U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicles, M1A2 tanks, and Kuwaiti M-84 tanks, for reinforcement.

Bigham said the greatest part of the exercise was by working together, training and rehearsing as one team, they were able to operate as a single entity to maneuver and destroy the targets effectively.

Baker Team, maintaining spacing and maximizing frontal coverage, moved forward within two kilometers of the targets before laying down suppressive fire. Baker Team then continued to the forward line of troops and eliminated the targets.

Bigham said their partnership with the 15th Mubarak Brigade allowed soldiers on both sides to get to know each other on a more personal level enabling them to grow tactically to become stronger military allies.

Lt. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, Third Army/ARCENT commanding general, Maj. Gen. Gary H. Cheek, Third Army/ARCENT deputy commanding general, Col. Johnnie L. Johnson Jr., 3rd ABCT commander, and Staff Col. Bassel Ahmed Al-Suwaidi, 15th Mubarak Brigade commander were on hand to observe the event.

"When we talk about partnership in the future, this is how I envision it," said Ruzicka. "Whenever we do a training event here in Kuwait we should have the Kuwaiti Land Forces here with us and vice versa, so we can really build upon what we have established here and take it to the next step."

• Date Taken: 12.03.2012
• Date Posted: 12.03.2012 07:23
• Story ID: 98640
• Location: CAMP BUEHRING, KW