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Rotation 8, 9 Georgia Training Team, Georgia Liaison Team Complete PTP

US Marine Corps News

By Maj. Matthew O'donnell | Marine Corps | November 01, 2012

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- During the first week of August 2012, 80 Marines and Sailors from U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve arrived at Marine Corps Security Cooperation to begin their one month pre-deployment training package in preparation to assume the role of the Rotation 8 and 9 Georgia Training Team (GTT) as part of the Georgia Deployment Program – International Security Assistance Force II (GDP-ISAF II). As the Rotation 8 and 9 GTT, these Marines and Sailors would be responsible for training the 33d and 42d Georgian Light Infantry Battalions in preparation for counter-insurgency operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan alongside the Marine Air Ground Task Force in Helmand Province. The Marines and Sailors of MCSCG’s Training and Instructor Group (TIG), United States European Command Coordination Liaison and Assessment Team (EUCOM CLAT), and Medical Section provided a month-long training package focused on basic advisor skills, foreign security force training management, combat lifesaver, and Georgian culture and language. With many of the MCSCG instructor staff having spent time in Georgia and Afghanistan previously training the Georgian battalions or working with them as combat advisors in Helmand Province, the Marines and Sailors of the GTT had the opportunity to gain valuable lessons learned and insight into the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead for them. The student-instructor interaction and the training effort of the GTT ensured that the GTT deployed to Georgia at the beginning of September ready to accomplish its mission.

Immediately following the departure of the Rotation 8 and 9 GTT, MCSCG received 36 active duty Marines and Sailors from I and II Marine Expeditionary Force comprising the Rotation 8 and 9 Georgian Liaison Teams (GLTs). These two 18-man teams would embed with the 33d and 42d Georgian Light Infantry Battalions during the final five months of the Georgian Battalions’ training and then deploy with those battalions to Helmand Province, Afghanistan to serve as combat advisors to the Georgians and a liaison between the Georgian leadership and the Marine Regimental Combat Team Staff. To prepare for this challenging and important mission, the Marines and Sailors of the two GLTs received an aggressive 18-day training package focused on advisor skills, foreign weapons instruction, advanced combat casualty care, and Georgian culture and language. The professionalism and work ethic of the two GLTs ensured that the instruction provided by the Marines of the TIG and the EUCOM CLAT and the Sailors from the Medical Section would not go for naught. At the end of September 2012 after 18 aggressive training days, the Marines and Sailors of the 33d and 42d Georgian Light Infantry Battalion GLTs departed MCSCG to make final preparations before deploying to Georgia. They did so with the mindset that MCSCG had prepared them well to be successful in accomplishing their mission alongside their Georgian Army brethren.