STORY AND PHOTO BY MAJ. CHRISTOPHER BRAUTIGAM/U.S. ARMY CENTRAL
The Illisky Training Center in Kazakhstan hosted the first phase of the annual Steppe Eagle multinational training exercises in April 2016.
Participants included Soldiers and medics from the Kazakh Peacekeeping Battalion; instructors from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Operations Training Center; Soldiers from the United Kingdom’s 1st Rifles Battalion, 160th Brigade; and United States Soldiers from the Arizona National Guard.
Steppe Eagle is a two-phased exercise that enhances the partnership and interoperability between nations. Phase two was held in the U.K. in July 2016.
“These events make our friendship stronger,” said Brig. Gen. Almas Dzhumakeyev, commander of Kazakh Airmobile Forces. “They bring us closer, meaning we will be much more effective in our future operations.”
The first phase featured six days of situational training led by instructors from the peacekeeping operations center and included base defense operations, convoy operations, helicopter operations and patrolling. The event also included a sports day featuring friendly competition among the nations, and a three-day training exercise that tested the peacekeepers’ ability to operate in a realistic and dynamic environment.
“It’s a good experience,” said Capt. Asset Myrzabajev, an instructor at the peacekeeping operations center. “To have U.S. and U.K. Soldiers come to share their experiences and bring in new techniques and tactics from their deployments, it helps us to get better and better.”
Though the event was mostly focused on military tasks and planning, many of the participants recognized there was more to learn and appreciate during events like this. “There is a lot of sharing, but I think it’s very important that we not only share military techniques but also culture,” said Capt. Ruslan Bekturov, the peacekeeping battalion engineer.