Cobra Gold
Cobra Gold 06
Ships and units of Commander, USS Patriot (MCM 5) and Task Force (CTF) 76 with embarked elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and members of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, Detachments 11, 51 and 53 began the multinational U.S.-Thai joint exercise Cobra Gold 2006 in the Kingdom of Thailand on 15 May 2006.
Each asset of CTF 76 participated in a tailored training scenario with the Royal Thai Armed Forces both afloat and ashore in a series of exercises, relationship-building activities and community projects set that lasted until 26 May 2006. CPG 1 members conducted a command post training exercise alongside counterparts from Thailand and Singapore. Marines and Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel conducted field training exercises in the jungle with Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Navy (RTN) personnel with an emphasis on improvised explosive devices. FDNF ARG ships conducted amphibious and flight operations with the RTN and Royal Thai Air Force. Patriot and embarked EOD detachments will work with a Thai mine countermeasures ship for various mine sweep evolutions.
About 200 members of the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan also travelled to Thailand to participate in the Cobra Gold exercise. During the month-long deployment, missions included airdrops, air refueling, aerial resupply, static line and high altitude and low opening personnel jumps, infiltration and exfiltration of personnel and airfield operations. The exercise also offersed SOG members an opportunity to gain and improve skills involving terrain that is different from home station in Okinawa, Japan. Mountains, water and jungles were all included in the exercise planning.
On 20 May 2006, Members of Mobile Security Squadron (MSS) 7, Detachment (DET) 73 conducted Close Quarters Battle (CQB) training with Royal Thai sailors and marines. The objective of the CQB training was to have Royal Thai forces enter an abandoned building and recapture a piece of fabric from a simulated enemy, made to symbolize the recapture process of hostages or secret documents. The specific objective was not the focus, said MSS 7 members, but working through language barriers to meet a desired objective was the importance of the training. The end goal was to create a Thai security force that could partner in ensuring security, specifically port security, when U.S. forces are on station within the country. Port security, especially for the civilian-operated Marine Corps high-speed vessel WESTPAC Express, necessitates a joint effort to truly be effective.
Multinational humanitarian efforts in response to the December 2004 Indonesian tsunami were much more efficient and effective due to the strong ties developed as a result of this annual exercise. A key component of the 2006 exercise was the Global Peace Operations Initiative. Its goal was to train and equip 75,000 peacekeepers worldwide by the year 2010. A portion of the field training and computer simulations focused on this element. Cobra Gold 2006, the 25th anniversary, involved the United States, Thailand and Singapore, with Japan and Indonesia mostly observing, but also participating in some community activities. The following countries were been invited: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, China, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Russia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tonga, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
In addition to the training, Sailors of CTF 76 ships participating in the exercise had the opportunity to participate in community service projects at schools in Rayong and Canterbury. There, Sailors performed renovation tasks for the schools, interacted with students, and delivered school supplies and clothing gathered from their respective crews.
Also part of Cobra Gold 06, Royal Thai Navy (RTN) and U.S. Navy Seabees partnered to build a pavilion at a health clinic in Rayong. Overseeing the project was CTF 76 Reservist Lt. Cmdr. Dana Partridge, whose civilian occupation was plant manager for Guardian Industries Rayong. Guardian supplemented manpower and overhead costs to complete the project. Partridge and his company completed a similar project in 2005, when Seabees of both countries overhauled and restored a lunch facility at a Rayong school.
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