PA to contribute 965 personnel for Balikatan 2015

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 7): PA to contribute 965 personnel for Balikatan 2015
 

The Philippine Army (PA) will be contributing 965 personnel to the annual Balikatan war games this coming April 20 to 30.

These soldiers will be coming from Headquarters Philippine Army, 7th Infantry Division, Mechanized Infantry Division, EOD Battalion, Army Artillery Regiment, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Army Reserve Command, Combat Engineers, Army General Hospital and Fort Magsaysay Station Hospital.

Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced that it will be deploying 5,023 personnel to the 10-day military maneuvers.

The US contingent is placed at 6,656 personnel and 61 for the Australian Defense Forces.

Balikatan aims to beef up international engagement and peace support capabilities of the AFP aside from enhancing the interoperability and capacity of both forces.

Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, PA spokesperson, said the Army will start the training right by participating in the Combined Army Forces (CARFOR) Force Integration Training at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija on April 13 to 19.

The objective of the training is for both Armies to be acquainted, develop interoperability and agree on the same actions on dealing with their military objectives, as a preparation on the Field Training Exercise (FTX).

Balikatan 2015 will be conducted in three simultaneous events.

Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) events will cover the conduct of combined and joint civil-military operations by the AFP, US and ADF in selected areas of the Western Command (WESCOM) area of responsibility in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan and Central Command (CENTCOM) area in Panay Island, to enhance civil-military operation in support to AFP and US objectives.

For the Command Post Exercise (CPX) events, the scenario will focus on Marine Security (MARSEC) with Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX) to demonstrate the capability of the AFP National Maneuver Force. Selected US and ADF staff members will form a Joint Liaison Group (JLG) to support the capability development at each staff.

For the FTX events, the PA, Philippine Air Force (PAF), Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), AFP Special Operations Force (SOF), United States Army (USAR), United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy (USN), United States Marine Crops (USMC), and United States SOF (US SOF) will conduct field training exercises in Crow Valley Gunnery Range (CVGR), Tarlac; Basa Air Base (BAB), Floridablanca and Clark Air Base (CAB)Angeles City, both in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija (FMNE); Marine Base Gregorio Lim (MBGL), Ternate, Cavite; Naval Base Heracleo Alano (NBHA), Sangley Point, Cavite; and Naval Station Leovigildo Gantiouqui (NSLG), San Antonio, Zambales, respectively to enhance capacities and improve tactics, techniques and procedures, reinforce relations, and improve interoperability of AFP, US and ADF forces.

The Balikatan 2015 is set to open on April 20 at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City while the closing ceremonies will be at Clark Airbase on April 30.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=750992