In front of 3rd Squad with the Black Sea Rotational Force 11 Corporal’s Course guidon, Cpl. Kristopher Acker, an Amarillo, Texas, native and rifleman with BSRF-11, leads the rest of the detail to the classroom. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force 11 conducted a Corporal’s Course for 31 Marines to instill the combat skills, military knowledge, core values and mindset necessary to lead Marines and accomplish any mission. The recently-graduated class marks the first time a Marine Corps Professional Military Education course has been conducted by the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force. ::r::::n:: - In front of 3rd Squad with the Black Sea Rotational Force 11 Corporal’s Course guidon, Cpl. Kristopher Acker, an Amarillo, Texas, native and rifleman with BSRF-11, leads the rest of the detail to the classroom. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force 11 conducted a Corporal’s Course for 31 Marines to instill the combat skills, military knowledge, core values and mindset necessary to lead Marines and accomplish any mission. The recently-graduated class marks the first time a Marine Corps Professional Military Education course has been conducted by the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force. ::r::::n::
During a simulated casualty drill, Petty Officer 2nd Class Bridget J. Shanahan, a Los Angeles, Calif., native, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony M. Tiner, Pittsburgh, Penn., native, both hospital corpsman, 4th Medical Battalion, slide a patient on a stretcher into their ambulance. The 4th Medical Battalion set up a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Suite during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011 to support the 350 U.S. Marines and sailors conducting counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations training with nearly 500 Georgian soldiers from the Georgian 4th Infantry Brigade in Vaziani Training Area, outside of Tblisi. - During a simulated casualty drill, Petty Officer 2nd Class Bridget J. Shanahan, a Los Angeles, Calif., native, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony M. Tiner, Pittsburgh, Penn., native, both hospital corpsman, 4th Medical Battalion, slide a patient on a stretcher into their ambulance. The 4th Medical Battalion set up a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Suite during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011 to support the 350 U.S. Marines and sailors conducting counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations training with nearly 500 Georgian soldiers from the Georgian 4th Infantry Brigade in Vaziani Training Area, outside of Tblisi.
Lance Cpl. Charles Morone and Sgt. Spenser McAvoy, Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, search the bushes for possible insurgents on a training mission here July 22 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between the forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training. - Lance Cpl. Charles Morone and Sgt. Spenser McAvoy, Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, search the bushes for possible insurgents on a training mission here July 22 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between the forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training.
Sgt. Spencer McAvoy, a squad leader with Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, clears a room with Georgian soldiers here July 19 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between the forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training.::r::::n:: - Sgt. Spencer McAvoy, a squad leader with Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, clears a room with Georgian soldiers here July 19 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between the forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training.::r::::n::
In front of a color detail with the national colors of America and the Republic of Georgia and the unit colors of the U.S. Marine Corps and Georgian military, Maj. Eric J. Andersen, executive officer Black Sea Rotational Force 11 and Kent, Wash., native, “forms the troops” for the opening ceremony of Exercise Agile Spirit 2011, marking the official start of what is scheduled to be an annual training event with the partner nation. Marines with Alpha Company of Anti-Terrorism Battalion, and 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion deployed to Georgia for their annual training to supplement the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force deployment of BSRF-11, to conduct counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations training at Vaziani Training Area. - In front of a color detail with the national colors of America and the Republic of Georgia and the unit colors of the U.S. Marine Corps and Georgian military, Maj. Eric J. Andersen, executive officer Black Sea Rotational Force 11 and Kent, Wash., native, “forms the troops” for the opening ceremony of Exercise Agile Spirit 2011, marking the official start of what is scheduled to be an annual training event with the partner nation. Marines with Alpha Company of Anti-Terrorism Battalion, and 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion deployed to Georgia for their annual training to supplement the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force deployment of BSRF-11, to conduct counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations training at Vaziani Training Area.
During a naturalization ceremony here, Pamela G. Hutchings, field program director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Vienna, Austria, leads Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Anastatia M. Dobbs, as she pledges the Oath of Allegiance and officially becomes a U.S. citizen while deployed to Romania. A Navy corpsman for Black Sea Rotational Force 11 with almost 10 years of service, Dobbs’ naturalization ceremony marks the first time a U.S. servicemember has sworn-in to become an American citizen in Romania. The USCIS made a visit to Mihail Kogalniceanu Land Forces base to conduct the ceremony, and has naturalized a total of more than 53,400 members of the U.S. armed forces since September 2001, with over 7,400 being on foreign soil. ::r::::n:: - During a naturalization ceremony here, Pamela G. Hutchings, field program director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Vienna, Austria, leads Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Anastatia M. Dobbs, as she pledges the Oath of Allegiance and officially becomes a U.S. citizen while deployed to Romania. A Navy corpsman for Black Sea Rotational Force 11 with almost 10 years of service, Dobbs’ naturalization ceremony marks the first time a U.S. servicemember has sworn-in to become an American citizen in Romania. The USCIS made a visit to Mihail Kogalniceanu Land Forces base to conduct the ceremony, and has naturalized a total of more than 53,400 members of the U.S. armed forces since September 2001, with over 7,400 being on foreign soil. ::r::::n::
At the graduation and completion of the Bulgarian non-commissioned officer development course, a Bulgarian NCO instructor shakes hands with the Marines from Black Sea Rotational Force 11 that have not only displayed their military professionalism but also their ability to be personable and friendly. A dedicated team of eight Marines from the rank of corporal to first sergeant made the NCO Development detachment that conducted courses to advise and build the leadership ability and responsibility of partner nations’ NCO Corps. The Marines have been traveling around the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus regions of Eastern Europe since April providing the NCO development course to the participating countries who have requested it. They have conducted NCO-development training with Romania, Serbia, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria with future stops in Georgia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Macedonia. - At the graduation and completion of the Bulgarian non-commissioned officer development course, a Bulgarian NCO instructor shakes hands with the Marines from Black Sea Rotational Force 11 that have not only displayed their military professionalism but also their ability to be personable and friendly. A dedicated team of eight Marines from the rank of corporal to first sergeant made the NCO Development detachment that conducted courses to advise and build the leadership ability and responsibility of partner nations’ NCO Corps. The Marines have been traveling around the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus regions of Eastern Europe since April providing the NCO development course to the participating countries who have requested it. They have conducted NCO-development training with Romania, Serbia, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria with future stops in Georgia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Macedonia.
The commanding officer of Black Sea Rotational Force 11, Lt. Col. Nelson S. Cardella, goes down with a big splash after Lance Cpl. Robert K. Devaney, motor transport operator and Neptune, N.J., native, hits his target on his first throw. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force joined along U.S. Army soldiers, Navy sailors and Air Force airmen to celebrate the Fourth of July with food and festivities such as a dunk tank, sports competitions, pie and watermelon-eating contests and a tug-o-war. - The commanding officer of Black Sea Rotational Force 11, Lt. Col. Nelson S. Cardella, goes down with a big splash after Lance Cpl. Robert K. Devaney, motor transport operator and Neptune, N.J., native, hits his target on his first throw. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force joined along U.S. Army soldiers, Navy sailors and Air Force airmen to celebrate the Fourth of July with food and festivities such as a dunk tank, sports competitions, pie and watermelon-eating contests and a tug-o-war.
During a period-of-instruction for convoy operations, Cpl. Nicholas Porter, rifleman and Amarillo, Texas, native, Black Sea Rotational Force 11, advises a Serbian soldier on the responsibilities of a “gunner” while doing Improvised-Explosive Device (IED) awareness training. BSRF-11 will be working with the Serbian and Bulgarian troops in Novo Selo training area in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations to advise and build the military capacities of these nations.::r::::n:: - During a period-of-instruction for convoy operations, Cpl. Nicholas Porter, rifleman and Amarillo, Texas, native, Black Sea Rotational Force 11, advises a Serbian soldier on the responsibilities of a “gunner” while doing Improvised-Explosive Device (IED) awareness training. BSRF-11 will be working with the Serbian and Bulgarian troops in Novo Selo training area in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations to advise and build the military capacities of these nations.::r::::n::