“GUARDEX 10” bilateral military exercise
The final part of “GUARDEX 10” bilateral military exercise was conducted in Gasinci military training area on Thursday, May 6. Members of the Croatian Armed Forces (Army and Air Force and Air Defence) and the Minnesota National Guard members were participating in the two-week exercise, under the responsibility of the Armoured Mechanized Guard Brigade.
The intensive long-standing bilateral cooperation between CAF and Minnesota National Guard has been most evident in the Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.
The aim of “GUARDEX 10” exercise was to improve the capabilities to achieve NATO standards for training, planning, organization and implementation of exercise and improve interoperability at the tactical level, using NATO doctrine and procedures.
The final presentation of joint U.S and Croatian armed forces level of training was attended by the Army Commander Lieutenant General Mladen Kruljac, Commander of the Minnesota National Guard Major General Larry Shellito, military representatives of the diplomatic corps, as well as other representatives of the Croatian Armed Forces.
During the final exercise demonstration, the guests were presented the procedures of using small arms, identifying and locating individuals, reactions to ambush, close air support and medical evacuation. New training facilities and the Gaisnic training area, as well as new Croatian VHS Assault Rifle were presented as well.
In their addresses to training participants, generals Kruljac and Shellito and Exercise Director – Commander of the Armoured Mechanized Guards Brigade, Brigadier General Mladen Mikolcevic expressed their satisfaction with the results of the exercise, and stressed the excellent cooperation between the CAF and the Minnesota National Guard.