Embassy Training Day unites Marines, embassy personnel
By Sgt. Mark S. Mizell
| Marine Forces Europe and Africa | June 04, 2014
TBLISI, Republic of Georgia --
Personnel and spouses from the U.S. Embassy in Georgia participated in an Embassy Training Day at the Krtsanisi National Training Centre outside of Tbilisi, May 8.
The event was hosted by both the U.S.-led Georgia Training Team under U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa’s Georgia Deployment Program – International Security Assistance Force and the Georgia-led KNTC commanders.
The event encouraged interagency familiarization and interaction between the Embassy staff and their Department of Defense counterparts, an integral part to the U.S. and Georgian partnerships and commitments to global-security and regional stability.
“The purpose of this Embassy Training Day is to ensure a good working relationship with our embassy brethren,” said Lt. Col. Guillermo Rosales, commanding officer, GTT.
“We will provide a snapshot of what the Marine Corps does when we partner with foreign security forces to enable our national-security strategy worldwide.”
Host-nation commanding officers from the KNTC, the KNTC Training and Retaining Center, and the GTT began the day with an orientation and welcome brief.
The mission of the Georgia Training Team is to advise and assist KNTC staff in order to prepare the Georgian 51st Light Infantry Battalion for contingency operations in Afghanistan and to continue supporting the Georgians to train and evaluate their own military forces.
Embassy personnel participated in a variety of activities, including observing Georgian training in a classroom and range setting, participating in a short, indoor night-vision course using the PVS-14 Night Vision Device, riding in a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle on the drivers’ course, eating field rations for lunch, and then were introduced to the M4 carbine service rifle to participate in a brief live-fire event from the 25-yard line. Though most participants lacked prior basic-infantry experience, many were able to shoot on-target and allowed to take them home as a souvenir of their experience.
During their observation of the Georgian soldiers during the combat movement and live-fire exercises, visitors were addressed by Georgian Capt. Shane Bartelt, a Company Advisor for the Georgian 51st Light Infantry Battalion.
“Our main goal is refinement, to get the Georgian soldiers to the point where they can operate on their own. That is the key success of this effort,” Bartelt said.
All of the embassy personnel were excited to spend a day working with the Marines.
“It’s wonderful to see the Marines in action, how well you compose yourself, and how well you’re organized. It’s very heartening and nice to know that you’re out here doing the work that you do,” said Laurel Hamilton, an office assistant in the Community Liaison Office at the Embassy.
Deputy Chief of Mission in Georgia, Bridget Brink, was glad to be able to expose embassy staff to the Marine Corps’ mission in Georgia.
“I’m not only very proud to see well-trained Marines here doing a good job, but I’m also grateful to see Georgians leading Georgians in training. The level and depth of the partnership between our countries is just great; I’m glad to see everyone working so well together,” said Brink.
Through GDP-I, the Georgian military has trained with Marines to serve alongside U.S. forces and other partner nations for support to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
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