U.S. advisor and Guyana special forces commander team up to observe and assess

Photo By Staff Sgt. Leia Tascarini | U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Sarah Franklin, U.S. Advisor to Tradewinds 2019 and Lt. Col. Sheldon Howell, commander of the Guyana Defense Force special operations forces and Deputy Chief of the Regional Observer and Assessment Team work together to see how procedures and information are being processed through the Tradewinds 2019 military exercise. In its 35th year, 22 nations have participated in the annual Tradewinds exercise to promote regional security as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. (U.S. Photo by Spc. Spencer Rhodes)  

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

06.18.2019

Courtesy Story

107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES (June 18, 2019) – U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and up to 22 different nations have participated in Tradewinds, an annual military exercise held in the Caribbean, now in its 35th year. To make such a complex operation come together in its many facets, many crucial teams are needed once the exercise begins.
The Regional Observer and Assessment Team (ROAT) is just one such group. U.S. Air Force Advisor Lt. Col. Sarah Franklin and Lt. Col. Sheldon Howell, Deputy Chief for the ROAT and commander of the special operations forces for the Guyana Defence Force, are leading the effort during Tradewinds 2019.
Franklin, who often travels to different commands as an observer trainer, met Howell during Tradewinds 2018. She says one of the interesting things they’ve developed during their working relationship is their continued discussions throughout the year at the planning conferences. They have also kept a running dialog of best practices for continuity between missions.
“I team with Lt. Col. Howell to see how processes are flowing, how procedures are flowing, how information is being shared and how we can suggest areas of improvement for the people who are working hard to make the events happen,” says Franklin. “I think it’s one of the key components of Tradewinds, we see a lot of relationship forming between the different countries, which sets up this entire region up for success.”
Howell explains that the different ROAT members are chosen from the region and they are essentially grouped into land components, maritime components and humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) components. The leads are chosen according to their experience, and then officers are deployed to the different events to report back to the deputy chief and Lt. Col. Franklin with their observations. The training officials depend on the ROAT officers input to develop future training and make on the spot corrections for events throughout the exercise.
“The ROAT, as the name suggests, our objective is simply to assess and observe the training here, so we can inform high command on things we can sustain and things that need improvement…that allows the host nation to become better prepared to contain any threats, whether its transnational crime or HADR,” says Howell.
As the two coordinate and track assessments for the exercise’s improvements, both note they’ve gained a lot of personal experience and knowledge. `
“I really gained an appreciation for how different countries operate, there’s no one best way to do something,” said Franklin. “There’s a way to do something and I think that we come together and bring our different perspectives about the different ways we can accomplish the goal, and that’s very interesting and fascinating to see evolve.”
As the next exercise for Tradewinds is in Guyana, Howell notes that everything occurring in 2019 is a crucial experience for future preparations.
“For me what is most important is that Tradewinds is going to be Guyana next year, so all of the experiences and the gaps identified during our assessment period are taken and used as a guide for the trainers in my country next year,” said Howell.

• Date Taken: 06.18.2019
• Date Posted: 06.19.2019 09:40
• Story ID: 328296
• Location: VC