Photo By Sgt. Aaron Hostutler | Sgt. Michael B. Walusz, a criminal investigation divison agent with the Marine Corps...... read more read more
Subscribe
By Lance Cpl. Michael Bianco
III Marine Expeditionary Force
KATHMANDU, Nepal - A team of 75 Nepal army soldiers and seven Okinawa-based Marines met in Kathmandu, Nepal, for a subject matter expert exchange, Sept. 1-13, 2008. The SMEE is the second of its kind in as many years.
During the SMEE, 40 Nepal army military policemen engaged with four Marine Corps Base Camp Butler military police Marines and investigators with the Criminal Investigative Division. Simultaneously, 35 commanders from various units throughout Nepal and soldiers with the Nepal army directorate of public relations interacted with three Marines and the deputy director from the III Marine Expeditionary Force/Marine Corps Bases Japan Consolidated Public Affairs Office.
The Nepalese military police used two classrooms, while all 35 officers and soldiers with the Nepal army DPR were located in a single venue. Investigators with the Nepal army attended classes with CID Marines. Nepalese security forces interacted with Marines assigned to Camp Butler's Special Reaction Team.
The Nepal army investigators and military police shared with the Marines processes for investigations, martial arts and police protocol.
During the investigation classes, Nepalese investigators learned effective methods for handling fingerprints and the Marines' procedures for interrogations.
The Nepalese security forces observed the Marines' close quarter battle tactics, martial arts skills and techniques for observing the enemy.
Public affairs Marines were briefed on several topics. They learned the history of the Nepal army and political issues facing the country, including a recent election bringing a
Maoist government to power and the nation's current challenge of developing a new constitution.
The Nepalese discussed the importance of public relations and its effect on national and international relations.
Nepalese commanders and soldiers learned basic Marine Corps knowledge, including rank structure and unit organization. The Marines referenced media communications equipment, as well as technological advances and their influence on media. They also discussed media operations in the Global War on Terrorism.
The public affairs exchange also involved practical application in the areas of scenario based on-camera interviews and press releases, each of which were critiqued in a group setting.
The idea to engage with the Nepal army began when Maj. Gen. MaryAnn Krusa-Dossin, the MCB commanding general, visited Nepal as a guest speaker during the 2006 Marine Corps Ball at the U.S. Embassy.
Given Krusa-Dossin's background as a former director of the Division of Public Affairs at Headquarters Marine Corps and as a career military police officer, she suggested military engagement with the Nepal army.
"There has been an abundance of knowledge here," said Lt. Col. Santosh B. Poudyal, the commanding officer for the Nepal army Signals Battalion. "This allows the U.S. to see how Nepal handles business. I think we can learn a lot from each other's experiences," he said.
Wartime experience is also very beneficial. With the Global War on Terrorism, the U.S. military has experience in small wars and postconflict reconstruction, said Poudyal, whose own army recently ended hostilities with a decade-long Maoist insurgency.
Both countries are learning a lot from one another, and it helps to have a balanced distribution of goals, so the countries can compliment each other on their strengths. It also gives the service members the opportunity to be evaluated, Poudyal said.
For now, the annual SMEE only involves the military police and public affairs military occupational specialties, but some hope it will expand to include a wide variety of specialties.
"This might be good, but we can expand and should. We are not fully exploiting this opportunity," Poudyal said. "It should be an open interaction with all [vocations]."
With the army as its sole military branch, Nepal, a predominantly Hindu nation, is eager to exchange training opportunities and information with the U.S. Cultural differences do not create difficulties for service members, according to Poudyal. It is easy for foreign service members to cooperate due to their commonalities in the profession of arms.
Poudyal said he was happy to support the SMEE and hopes everyone involved will take away as much as he did from the experience.
"We are very keen to change, and I hope to see quick, visible solutions with tangible results."
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2008 05:36 |
| Story ID: | 23853 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 607 |
| Downloads: | 265 |
This work, Nepal Army, U.S. Marines toss ideas around in Kathmandu, by Cpl Michael Bianco, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
