Photo By Cpl. Paul Zellner | 1st Lt. Jared Batzel, a military police officer with the Military Police Detachment,...... read more read more
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PLOVDIV, Bulgaria — Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force 12 participated in non-lethal weapons and tactics exchange with more than 25 Bulgarian soldiers, sailors and civilian police in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, April 17-19.
“The purpose of this training is to show the Bulgarian military and law enforcement communities the wide variety of non-lethal options that the Marine Corps utilizes,” said 1st Lt. Jared Batzel, senior member of the military police detachment, BSRF 12.
Military policemen attached to BSRF 12 instructed classroom courses on tactics, munitions, weapons and other equipment used in the Marine Corps’ non-lethal arsenal. The courses were then utilized in practical application drills and firing ranges to familiarize the service members and policemen with what they had learned in class.
“This training is a great foundation for improved interoperability,” said Maj. Anatoli Barkovski, a Bulgarian special forces soldier. “We learned about and got to employ new equipment and weapons systems.”
The instructors gave a kinetic display on some of the equipment as they took to the field with riot shields and batons. The Bulgarians then had a chance to don the equipment to go over movement drills of a riot team. Throughout the next few days the Marines showed their partner nation members many of the basic non-lethal skills including Mechanical Advantage Control Holds. X26E Tazer, Baton, Riot Shield and Oleoresin Capsicum Spray.
“All the information was new to us because the Bulgarian special-forces mission is different. Now that I have done the training I see how these things can be applicable, especially while on a deployment,” said 2nd Lt. Grozdan Naydov, a Bulgarian special forces soldier. “This is not my first time working with U.S. military but my impression with U.S. military members is that they are very detailed and thorough which makes for a good exchange.”
The training is part of the Black Sea Rotational Force’s six-month deployment which includes training exercises with 19 nations planned throughout the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucusus regions.
“Any exchange with military personnel is welcome and useful. It helps you see where you stand as a military force,” said Barkovski. “We compared procedures and there weren’t major differences which we see as a sign that the Bulgarian Army is developing in the right direction.”
The Black Sea Rotational Force is a Special-Purpose MAGTF with crisis response capabilities deployed to the region to enhance interoperability, promote regional stability and build camaraderie amongst the forces.
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.26.2012 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 87386 |
| Location: | PLOVDIV, BG |
| Web Views: | 211 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Riot-ready Marines display non-lethal capabilities to Bulgarians, by Cpl Paul Zellner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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