99 Azerbaijani soldiers to participate in Black Sea Rotational Force 2011 multi-lateral training exercise

US Embassy in Azerbaijan released media advisory on Azerbaijani soldiers’ participation in the international training exercise in Romania. APA reports that the media advisory says:
“On July 31, 99 soldiers from Azerbaijan’s Operational Capabilities Concept Battalion flew on two U.S. military planes to Constanta, Romania, where they will participate in the Black Sea Rotational Force 2011 multi-lateral training exercise from July 30-August 12.

The troops were seen off at Nasosnaya Air Base near Baku by U.S. Embassy Defense Attache Officer Colonel Daniel Grillone and Ministry of Defense officials. This is the first time that Azerbaijani soldiers have participated in the Black Sea Rotational Force, where they will engage in peacekeeping and counterinsurgency training alongside 12 NATO partner nations, including Romania, Georgia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia. The exercise is overseen by elements of the 4th United States Marine Corps Division, from San Diego, California.

This deployment is the product of over one year of joint planning between the U.S. Embassy Defense Attaché Office, the U.S. European Command, and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense. Experience gained at the Black Sea Rotational Force will enhance the Operational Capabilities Concept Battalion’s ability to conduct counterinsurgency operations and improve interoperability with NATO forces.


/APA/