“Immediate Response 2012” international military exercise planning conference
The Main Planning Conference for the international military exercise “Immediate Response 2012” started in the Croatian Army Command in Karlovac, on November 28.
Conference participants were welcomed at the opening by the Army Commander Major General Dragutin Repinc, who emphasized the importance of military exercises such as “Immediate Response 2012” because they were important not only to train troops for operations in a multinational environment, but also for the development of regional stability and they contribute to better mutual trust. Commander wished them successful work during the conference and during the execution of military exercise.
The exercise will be held in June 2012, and it will be attended by members of the armed forces of the US-Adriatic Charter (A-5): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, U.S. and members of the Army of the Republic of Slovenia and members-observers from the Republic of Serbia.
Organizers and the main responsible for the exercise are the Croatian Army and the Command of the Armed Forces of the United States Europe (U.S. EUCOM). The exercise will be inter-service and held at the military installation “Eugen Kvaternik” near Slunj.
Representatives from all countries members of the US-Adriatic Charter (A-5) and representatives of the armed forces of Serbia and Slovenia participate on the planning conference. Besides planning, the conference also includes work in syndicates and visits of areas where the exercise will be held.
This is the second of the three “Immediate Response” exercises in the cycle: the first was held in 2011, and the third will be held in 2013. The scope of the exercise has been increasing each year. In addition to the international military cooperation and the development of interoperability, the broader context of the exercise will include humanitarian-military cooperation in the area of Slunj since participants will renovate part of elementary school in Slunj that will allow for better living and working conditions.