Details of U.S. Training of Georgian Army for Afghan Deployment Reported

U.S. European Command reported on September 3 some details of the training program designed for the Georgian troops to prepare them for deployment in Afghanistan.

The training program was launched this week involving 40 marines from the U.S. Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group (MCTAG).

The training course under the name Georgia Deployment Program is a two-year training program consisting of four 6-month rotations designed to train total of four Georgian infantry battalions in counter-insurgency tactics, techniques and procedures in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan.

The first unit undergoing the training at the Krtsanisi National Training Center, outside Tbilisi, is 31st light infantry battalion from the 3rd brigade, involving total of 750 servicemen.

Georgia initially will send to Afghanistan an infantry company in late autumn, which will serve under the French command; it will be followed with sending of 31st light infantry battalion in March, 2010 to serve under the U.S. command.

Each of the four rotations is further broken down into six phases and each will culminate in a mission rehearsal exercise slated to take place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, according to the U.S. European Command.

The training will include packages such as maneuvers, marksmanship, driving, logistics, medical, as well as classroom staff training.

“To support this training program, the Marine Corps has committed its finest Marines to help train the 31st Battalion. All have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, many for multiple tours,” the U.S. European Command said.

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