Tbilisi, Georgia -- In the post Soviet Union era many U.S. Marines have participated in exercises and operations involving former WARSAW PACT forces that at one time in history, were enemies of the United States. Times have changed, and so has the status of our enemies.
Eight, large storage containers were lined up side-by-side, covered and aligned in perfect unison. Inside the containers were enough weapons to supply an infantry brigade for combat, more than 3,000 in all.
GySgt. Raul Ramirez, S-4 Chief for Task Force Georgia Train and Equip Program (GTEP), opened the first door and within seconds, cracked open one of hundreds of packing crates. Inside, the first AK-47 was visible. Ramirez reached down, grabbed a weapon, and lifted it out of the box and inspected it in detail.
Ramirez, an 18-year veteran in the Corps who hails from San Antonio, Texas, is deployed to Georgia with nearly 30 other Marines to train and equip selected units of the Georgian military. The Department of Defense sponsored mission will spend 64 million dollars assisting the Georgian government in protecting its borders, and providing stability in the Caucasus region.
The Georgian 16th Mountain Battalion is the first unit to be trained by the Marines and the second battalion to receive training since the field-training portion started nearly 7 months ago. The Georgian Commando Battalion, the first battalion to graduate the program and trained by U.S. Special Forces, graduated the program December 15, 2002, the same day leadership of the program transferred to the Marine Corps.
On February 1, the 16th Mountain Brigade will enter into a 100-day training program executed by the Marine Corps Training Cadre. In order to complete the mission, the Corps has put together a unique group of Marines commanded by Maj. Scott Campbell, TAD from II MEF. Campbell more recently served as the executive officer for 2d Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
"Although they have never worked together or been assigned to a mission like this, they have rapidly formed into a solid team," said Campbell. "The strength of this group is the wide variety of experiences and skills that they bring to the unit."
The Marines are in a TAD status with many of them expected to rotate in between the 100-day training cycle. There will be a total of 4 cycles.
The mission of transferring all of the supplies and equipment to the Georgian military rests upon the shoulders of GySgt. Ramirez, TAD to GTEP from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 in Cherry Point, N.C.
The equipment issued to the Georgian military is indigenous to the Caucasus region. This was necessary in order to support of spare parts and to facilitate maintenance, said Ramirez. For example, the two and a half ton trucks were manufactured in Romania and all of the weapons were manufactured in one of the former Soviet satellite nations.
In addition to the 8 different types of weapons and vehicles the Georgians will receive, they will also be equipped with U.S. military uniforms and field gear.
"They're receiving a complete boot camp issue," said Ramirez. "From socks to Gortex."
The GTEP program is a U.S. European Command sponsored operation and is scheduled to end during the summer of 2004. More information about GTEP can be found on the European Command website WWW.EUCOM.MIL, click on the operations link.