The FINANCIAL — Lieutenant Colonel Reneé Underwood, Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation in Tbilisi, in her interview with The FINANCIAL claims that the Georgia Deployment Program for ISAF is one of the most important security cooperation initiatives to come out of the US military's role in Georgia.
Underwood also believes that due to its big achievements, the Georgian army is ready for integration with NATO. “Evaluations and decisions on NATO membership are made at NATO levels and are political. The Georgian army has made many strides forward in the last few years and has proven an invaluable asset to NATO in ISAF. They have proven themselves willing and able to fight alongside NATO forces and we support their aspirations to join the alliance,” Underwood said.
32 and 12 light infantry battalions of the Georgian Armed Forces are deployed in Afghanistan where in the province of Helmand the Georgian peacekeeping units engage in the ISAF mission as part of the US contingent. The Georgian military units have been performing full spectrum operations shoulder to shoulder with US Marines since 2010.
As for the Georgia Deployment Program for ISAF, within the framework of this programme, Georgia has proven itself a strong partner. In August 2011, Georgia was the second-largest non-NATO troop contributor to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and since March 2010, Georgia has provided a battalion (approximately 750 soldiers) to participate in ISAF operations, fighting without national caveats alongside US Marines in Helmand Province.
“In October 2011, Georgia announced it would send an additional battalion, for a total of two battalions in combat, to Afghanistan. Upon deployment of this second battalion, in October 2012 Georgia became the largest non-NATO contributor of troops to ISAF operations. The two Georgian Battalions serve in Helmand province and fall under a Marine Regimental Combat Team. Georgian deployments to Afghanistan are supported by the Marine Forces Europe’s Georgia Deployment Program for ISAF, a programme designed to assist the Georgians in training for this very challenging mission. The Marines have a special relationship with Georgia and are proud to serve with them.
“Additionally, we assist Georgia with their professional military education to help them grow quality future leaders as well as assisting them with continued military reforms along the lines of US/NATO doctrine. Georgians also participate in several US exercises every year including two that occur in Georgia: Agile Spirit and Shared Horizons,” she added.
This time the task of the Georgian military servicemen deployed in Afghanistan is to combat terrorism, conduct patrolling and setting up of mobile control posts in the operational zone of the province.
Among NATO non-member states Georgia is the largest per capita troop contributor to the NATO mission.
Initially, a Reinforced Infantry Platoon (up to 50 military servants) from Georgia was deployed in the ISAF peacekeeping mission under German subordination in 2004.
Q. The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maia Panjikidze told The FINANCIAL that Georgia may leave the Afghan mission. How would you evaluate this decision?
A. Georgia is an important partner to the US, especially in Afghanistan. Certainly decreasing forces in Afghanistan will be a national political decision. It makes sense that Georgia would reduce their footprint in Afghanistan eventually as the troop contributions to ISAF reduce in general.
Q. When the battalions return from missions, they exchange their experience with new battalions. What kind of experience do our military obtain in Afghanistan?
A. Georgia has demonstrated through their ISAF deployments their capability to conduct stability operations. For the ISAF deployments, the Georgian battalions go through six months of very demanding and focused training to prepare. US senior leadership has praised Georgia on the performance of Georgian units in Afghanistan on many occasions.
Lieutenant Colonel Reneé Underwood has been in the military for nineteen years. She was recruited to go to West Point to throw the discus. “At the time I would have never imagined that I would serve in the military, but it has been a great career for me,” Underwood said. “I arrived in Georgia in July of this year. I had been to Georgia before on a short visit and requested this assignment. I consider myself lucky to be here. I love my job. I have great partners at the Ministry of Defence and Georgian Armed Forces. I really enjoy living and travelling in Georgia as well. I have been to Kazbegi, Shatili and Sighnagi. I look forward to getting out and seeing more of the country,” she added.
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