Immediate Response 2008
Encyclopedia
According to United States European Command
,
The 2008 exercise was reportedly conducted jointly by the USA and Georgian Armed Forces at the Vaziani Military Base
between 15 July and 31 July. Planned by the United States European Command
and financed by the U.S. Defense Department at a cost of $8 million. Georgian servicemen totalling 1630 participated, including representatives of the Joint Staff, Land Forces Staff, IV Brigade, the 41st and 42nd Battalions and Engineer Battalion Company. From the USA, 1000 military servicemen took part in the exercise including the United States Army Europe, 3rd Battalion 25th Marines
, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Georgia Army National Guard
(Atlanta, Georgia) and 5045th Garrison Support Unit. Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Ukraine each had 10 servicemen participating as well.
On July 21, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
was personally present and addressed the servicemen, saying:
These exercises were held less than a month before the outbreak of the 2008 South Ossetia war
.
Almost concurrently, Russia conducted its own military exercises in the north Caucasus (including North Ossetia), called Caucasus Frontier 2008
.
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
,
Immediate Response is an annual, bilateral security cooperation exercise conducted between U.S. and NATO and coalition partners. It is a longstanding Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed exercise focused on interoperability training and theater security cooperation, and is designed to promote understanding and cooperation between military forces of the United States and our allies.
The 2008 exercise was reportedly conducted jointly by the USA and Georgian Armed Forces at the Vaziani Military Base
Vaziani Military Base
The Vaziani Military Base is located about twenty kilometers outside Tbilisi at Latitude 41.6947 Longitude 45.0467, Georgia. The main base is spread over 10,000 hectares....
between 15 July and 31 July. Planned by the United States European Command
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
and financed by the U.S. Defense Department at a cost of $8 million. Georgian servicemen totalling 1630 participated, including representatives of the Joint Staff, Land Forces Staff, IV Brigade, the 41st and 42nd Battalions and Engineer Battalion Company. From the USA, 1000 military servicemen took part in the exercise including the United States Army Europe, 3rd Battalion 25th Marines
3rd Battalion 25th Marines
3rd Battalion 25th Marines is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps headquartered in Brook Park, Ohio with units throughout Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. The battalion, nicknamed "three deuce five", consists of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors...
, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Georgia Army National Guard
Georgia Army National Guard
The Georgia Army National Guard is the Army National Guard component of the Georgia National Guard, administratively part of the Georgia Department of Defense. It consists of more than 11,100 Citizen-Soldiers training in more than 79 hometown armories and regional facilities across the state...
(Atlanta, Georgia) and 5045th Garrison Support Unit. Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Ukraine each had 10 servicemen participating as well.
On July 21, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
was personally present and addressed the servicemen, saying:
“The main task of Georgian officers and soldiers is training. This international exercise is a unique case as we have the possibility to hold trainings along with the representatives of the best army in the world for a month. I think that we have created a new military school in Georgia in recent years. Believe that what all of you have learned now will remain in our country and will be shared with the future generations. That is why we have to train theoretically and practically as this is a precondition of victory. The main thing is to get acquainted with independent decision-making and free thinking.”
These exercises were held less than a month before the outbreak of the 2008 South Ossetia war
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
.
Almost concurrently, Russia conducted its own military exercises in the north Caucasus (including North Ossetia), called Caucasus Frontier 2008
Caucasus Frontier 2008
Caucasus Frontier 2008 were military exercises conducted by Russia starting July 5th 2008. The active phase was during the second week of July....
.