Photo By Sgt. Alejandro Lucero | U.S. Special Operations Command Europe soldiers and Armed Forces of Bosnia and...... read more read more
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SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina – Joint terminal attack controllers (JTACS) assigned to
U.S. Special Operations Command Europe, coordinated simulated close air support training with two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing, alongside Bosnia-Herzegovina JTACs in a bilateral training event in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jan. 8, 2024.
The training was part of routine efforts by U.S. forces to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures with partner nation forces. “It’s in the name: we are joint terminal attack controllers so we need to be able to work together,” said a U.S. JTAC who led the training. “Training with them gives us confidence in their abilities, and gives them confidence in our abilities too. That way if we ever find ourselves in a conflict situation, we are all on the same sheet of music.”
Highlighting the nature of their relationship, a Bosnian JTAC expressed gratitude for the consistent support from SOCEUR troops. He emphasized the ease of communication, stating, "There is always someone you can call and ask to request training; we have a very good relationship with the Office of Defense Cooperation."
Both U.S. and Bosnian JTACs saw this joint training exercise as an opportunity to further demonstrate their commitment to their partners. “Not only do we want to support and create interoperability with our international partner, we also want to help increase their tactical proficiency as well,” said the detachment commander with SOCEUR.
According to the Bosnian JTAC, training exercises to build proficiency and interoperability with the U.S. military are invaluable opportunities. The Bosnian JTACs are hoping to continue this specialized training because of its value not only for their team, but for other soldiers assigned to JTAC duty in the region.
“When [SOCEUR troops] come they bring their experiences to us and we get a peek into why
things are evolving the way they are evolving,” said the Bosnian soldier. “There’s maybe 20 to 30 JTACs in our neighboring countries and maybe one day we can be the ones to share knowledge and lead trainings with them.”
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| Date Taken: | 01.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2024 10:38 |
| Story ID: | 461664 |
| Location: | SARAJEVO, BA |
| Web Views: | 446 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, More than air support: JTAC partners conduct combined joint training exercise, by SGT Alejandro Lucero, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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