VASIANI, Georgia -- Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili, observed the first Georgian
combined mechanized infantry training exercise to take place in his country since the late 1990’s on Wednesday, March 24, at the Vasiani Training Area.
Saakashvili, U.S. Ambassador Richard Miles and the newly selected Minister of Defense, Gela Bezhuashvili, looked on as a section of BMP armored personnel carriers and ten T-72 tanks performed a mechanized attack with live ammunition.
“We were surprised to learn the president was coming to watch,” said Lt.Col. Kvilitaia, tank/ mechanized company executive officer.
However, the soldiers showed no signs of pre-performance jitters.
A three-tank volley fire kicked off the attack, followed by volley fire from a section of BMP’s, each loaded with eight infantrymen. A smiling Saakashvili watched through a pair of binoculars as both BMP’s sped down range to unload the infantry and set up support-by-fire positions.
The dismounted infantry assaulted through the enemy position with Marine instructors following closely behind ensuring the riflemen maintained their lanes of fire.
The grand finale was a ten-tank volley fire that made audience members jump and Marines and soldiers grin with satisfaction.
“I think this exercise was a great success for the Georgians,” Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery Veneman, 37, tank and BMP instructor, told a local television reporter. “The demo was well executed,” he added.
“I’m proud of my soldiers,” said Kvilitaia, “They are always trying to improve their skills.”
Following the completion of the exercise, Saakashvili shook hands and spoke with his soldiers about the training, while Georgia’s major television stations and newspapers swarmed to see and hear the discourse.
“The soldiers were glad and proud that the President came to watch the training,” said Kvilitaia. “The President promised the soldiers he would build a strong army that Georgia could be proud of.”
Saakashvili has reiterated that sentiment since being inaugurated. “We should have an army where the service would be a privilege for each Georgian,” he stated in January.
Saakashvili’s words have seemingly bolstered the tank/ mechanized company soldiers’ confidence in the new government. In a show of support for their new president the company overwhelmingly voted in favor of his party in the parliamentary elections held Sunday.
“We held parliamentary elections here on the base for our soldiers and 92% voted for our president’s party,” said Kvilitaia
.