Photo By Mike Meares | Lt. Gen. Duane Thiessen (left), U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, commanding general,...... read more read more
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CAMP AGUINALDO, Philippines -- For the 28th time in a long partnership between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military, the countries celebrated their successes of standing “shoulder-to-shoulder” during the two-week event focusing on bilateral field training and humanitarian assistance.
During closing ceremonies April 27 here, each speaker spoke of “culminating another historic event,” by working together and having a mutual respect for one another deeply rooted in cooperation, which they contribute to the longstanding relationship shared by the Philippines and United States.
The Honorable Harry K. Thomas Jr., U.S. ambassador to the Philippines stood at the podium and spoke of the respect he has witnessed among the men and women during the exercise. He playfully took his speech, tore it up and threw it because he said he couldn’t say anything better than has already been said by military leadership. U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Duane D. Thiessen, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, commanding general, Philippine Army Gen. Jessie D. Dellosa, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, and Philippine Navy Rear Adm. Victor Emmanuel C. Martir, AFP exercise director, all spoke of the mutual respect, admiration and gratitude the armed forces has for one another.
“This exercise was an amazing success,” Theissen said. “I want to compliment the leadership, the vision of the government of the Philippines and the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for everything they have done during this exercise. I have been very, very impressed.”
Exercise Balikatan is an annual training event aimed at improving combined planning, combat readiness, humanitarian assistance operations and interoperability between the AFP and U.S.
“As it has been in the past…through the spirit and meaning of Balikatan, you have shouldered the work together,” said Honorio Azcueta, Philippine Undersecretary of Defense. “The training program you have participated in shall improve your professional advancement.”
Balikatan, meaning shoulder-to-shoulder in Filipino, was the spirit in which the combined forces worked together to conduct at least 100 separate events across three categories; humanitarian civic assistance, a command post exercise and field training exercise.
The exercise training activities and humanitarian assistance enabled the Philippine and U.S. forces to get to know each other, train together and provide assistance to local communities. More than 6,500 Filipino and American troops participated in this year’s Balikatan.
During the HCA portion, which mainly took place in various locations in Palawan, an island southwest of mainland Philippines, both Philippine and U.S. medical personnel teamed up to treat 5,862 patients in need of medical care, and veterinarians treated approximately 6,091 animals.
The CPX consisted of notional tabletop exercises and was a multilateral event focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations’ planning and coordination. Leaders simulated natural disaster scenarios to test and improve planning, preparation and disaster response capabilities of the participating countries. In addition to Philippine and U.S. involvement, the countries of Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam also participated.
The FTX portion of Balikatan took the armed forces into the field for realistic bilateral training scenarios from live-fire events to explosive ordnance disposal training.
“This is our 28th Balikatan,” Thiessen said. “Over those years, I’ve watched the Philippines and the United States work together. I have seen our exercises grow in sophistication and in mutual capacity. We are at a level we have never been at before. I’m very impressed.”
“With all of these activities undertaken, it is safe to say, ‘We have achieved what we planned to accomplish in this year’s exercise,’” Martir said. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the officers, men and women, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from both forces who made this year’s exercise a successful and significantly safe event for all.”
| Date Taken: | 04.27.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.29.2012 10:05 |
| Story ID: | 87561 |
| Location: | CAMP AGUINALDO, PH |
| Web Views: | 483 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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