US, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine conduct exercise in Georgi

U.S. European Command (press release), Germany
July 9 2008

U.S., Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Ukraine conduct exercise in Georgia
Release Date: Jul 09, 2008

U.S. Army Europe public affairs

STUTTGART, Germany ‘ In the spirit of the NATO Partnership for Peace
program, soldiers from the United States, Georgia, Azerbaijan,
Armenia, and Ukraine will conduct the joint training exercise
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 2008 at Vaziani Military Base in Georgia beginning
July 5, 2008.

Georgia has provided consistent support to coalition Global War on
Terrorism and Regional War on Terrorism operations and is currently
the third largest force contributor to OIF, behind the U.S. and the
United Kingdom. Georgia’s geographic location also allows other allies
and partners in the region to see the benefits of working with the
United States.

Future iterations of Immediate Response are planned for
Georgia. Planning for IR08 began in 2006 and is designed to build on
lessons learned from previous combined training and operations by
giving commanders and their staffs a practical exercise in organizing,
controlling, and supporting coalition stability and security
operations.

Immediate Response is an annual, bilateral security cooperation
exercise conducted between U.S. and NATO and coalition partners. It is
a longstanding Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed exercise focused on
interoperability training and theater security cooperation, and is
designed to promote understanding and cooperation between military
forces of the United States and our allies.

Approximately 1,000 Soldiers from USAREUR’s Southern European Task
Force (Airborne) and 21st Theater Sustainment Command, as well as the
U.S. Marine Corps’ 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines and the state of
Georgia’s Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, will
train alongside an equal number of soldiers of the Georgian Army, and
soldiers from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Ukraine. Equipment to be used
for the exercise include basic field gear, tents, power generators,
logistical vehicles and two HH-60 Blackhawk medical evacuation
helicopters.

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