ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES— Private Garett Baptiste, a native of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, is participating in Tradewinds 2019, an annual joint-training exercise that takes place in the Caribbean.
Baptiste has served in the Royal Grenada Police Force for 15 years and currently serves with the Rapid Response unit. Unlike his counterparts in the police force, whom deal with all manner of issues, he specializes in criminal activity interference. This is the first Tradewinds exercise for Baptiste and he says it’s been a positive experience.
“I joined the police force back in 2004, and it has been the best decision of my life, Baptiste said. “Participating in Tradewinds helps me be a better me – for whenever I return back to my job – I will know more.”
This year, Tradewinds will take place in three phases. The first phase will take place in the Dominican Republic May 30—June 8. The second phase will take place in St. Vincent and the Grenadines June 14—21. The final phase will take place in Doral, Florida July 16—18.
Tradewinds, sponsored by U.S. Southern Command, is a joint, multinational, and interagency training exercise focused on building increased regional cooperation in complex multinational security operations, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.
Nations participating in the exercise include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, France, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States.