ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES—Nineteen nations from around the Caribbean and South America have gathered for Phase II of Tradewinds, an annual exercise that focuses on multi-national training that promotes regional security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Each nation looking to each other to accrue new skills and procedures that will help them in their respective missions at home.
Edward Rogers, the Deputy Division Chief of Training and Exercise for U.S. Southern Command, says the mission has truly evolved over 35 years, going from a smaller tactical event to the most complex and sophisticated exercise US SOUTHCOM executes.
“Whether this is your first Tradewinds or you’ve been in multiple ones, it’s an important exercise. It is really an enduring promise between the Caribbean and the Americas, where we come together once a year to execute training that is very critical. It builds friendships, trust, and partnerships and solidarity with all the participants,” said Rogers.
Assistant Superintendent of Police and Master of Ceremony for the opening ceremony today, Junior O. Simmons, has high hopes and expectations of the training, for St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as his regional neighbors.
“My main objective and biggest takeaway from Tradewinds 2019 would be a better prepared, equipped and trained military defense force, police force, and civilian personnel to respond, not only to natural disasters, because we are a disaster prone region, but to also counter trans-national organized crimes. Such as small arms trafficking, human trafficking, drug trafficking and other crimes,” said Simmons.
These ambitions are not exclusive to the event’s host nation either, as Rogers also emphasized the need for everyone to increase operational readiness for future responses.
“These are global challenges that we all face as a region, and by us coming together it allows us to be ready and to rapidly respond to whatever we face, whether they’re man-made or natural security threats,” said Rogers.