TBILISI, Georgia -- “I am proud and awe-struck -- standing here where soldiers from the former Soviet Union trained,” said BGen. John Croley, vice commander, U.S. Marine Forces Command. “The Georgian soldiers here proudly train here now as they prepare to take their country forward. Their destiny is in their own hands and control,” he added.
Croley was speaking at an airfield in a building near Vasiani, a former training base for Soviet pilots and soldiers. The general was here to visit Task Force, Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program members and view the training of the Georgian 23rd Light Infantry Battalion which is scheduled to deploy to Iraq later this year.
“Make no mistake about it, President Bush specifically asked for a Marine led task force to train the Georgian military, and you’re on the cutting edge and performing in a most admirable and professional manner,” Croley added speaking of the Marine small arms infantry training. “The Georgian soldiers are dedicated and enthusiastic, and they really take pride in the training you are providing.”
During his visit to Vasiani, BGen. Croley observed the Georgian soldiers training in crowd control and riot response measures. The training also included vehicle searches, check-point measures and personnel apprehension and restraint training.
There was also one unexpected treat for the general, as the Marines cooked a Georgian warrior meal and served it on a table made of MRE (meals ready to eat) boxes and U.S. military wool blankets. “We wanted to do something special and particularly Georgian for the general’s visit to the field,” said GySgt. Nathan Guidry, task force communication’s chief, and native of Houma, La. Guidry organized the meal with the help of GySgts. Timothy Greenleaf, Timothy Allison and Jeffrey Sundermier.
“It’s a fitting tribute and finish to this week of hard training,” added GySgt. Timothy Allison, range control officer and native of Eagle River, Wis. “We had Georgian bread and vegetables, and Georgian style barbequed beef,” he added.
The current GSSOP Task Force is composed primarily of Marine Corps infantry and small arms trainers, with a Navy emergency medical training team, Air Force communications technicians and Army visual communications and contracting personnel.
Overall, the task force’s mission is to train the Georgian 23rd Light Infantry Battalion and other Georgian battalions that will join the rotation of Georgian infantry battalions serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The units currently in Iraq were sent to help provide security to the United Nations mission in Baghdad.
The GSSOP training includes infantry skills, peacekeeping duties, specialized engineering, logistics, reconnaissance, and signal skills training at the separate company or battalion levels, as well as command and control training at the brigade level and above. The 23rd Light Infantry Battalion is scheduled to graduate Aug 13, 2005 and training for another unit will begin in late August. The GSSOP is scheduled to conclude during the spring of 2006.
BGen. Croley is based at the U.S. Marine Forces Command in Norfolk. Va. He returned there shortly after his visit to the GSSOP in Georgia.