DWDD: BK 2016 II Balikatan Joint Exercise Returns to the Philippines

From DWDD AFP Civil Relations Service Radio Website (Mar 16): BK 2016 II Balikatan Joint Exercise Returns to the Philippines

Philippine army Lt. Col. Henry Bellan, left, and U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Garrity, the deputy commanders of Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force, bury a time capsule containing the construction plans for a footbridge during a groundbreaking ceremony March 18, 2013, in San Narciso, Philippines. The job was one of eight engineering civic action projects conducted by U.S. and Philippine service members in support of exercise Balikatan 2013. Balikatan is an annual bilateral training exercise designed to increase interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military when responding to future natural disasters. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Fahey, U.S. Navy/Released)

S. and Philippine Armed Forces Will Work Shoulder-to-Shoulder to Train for Humanitarian Disaster Response and Strengthen Interoperability

CAMP GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO, Quezon City – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) began the first phase of Exercise Balikatan 2016 today, conducting preliminary work on five different school buildings and community medical engagements in Panay and Palawan leading up to information exchanges and live training events over a 12-day period. In the following weeks U.S. forces will join in the AFP as they work shoulder-to-shoulder during these engagements and throughout the exercise.

 

Balikatan is an annual Philippine-U.S. military bilateral training exercise that is a signature element of the Philippine-U.S. alliance focused on a variety of missions to include humanitarian assistance, maritime law enforcement, and environmental protection. BK 16 will take place in the Philippines April 4 to 15. The opening ceremony for BK 16 is scheduled to take place April 4, followed by several training events throughout the 12-day exercise, and the closing ceremony is scheduled to be held April 15.

 

During BK 16 Philippine and U.S. service members will conduct humanitarian civil assistance (HCA) projects throughout Panay. Preliminary work on community infrastructure projects begins at the end of March. It will demonstrate cooperation and interoperability between the Philippines and the U.S., consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement, as we continue our commitment to train, share information and provide support to each other through a range of military operations.  

 

Throughout BK 16 AFP and U.S. forces will work together to enhance maritime law enforcement throughout the Philippines in order to meet annual training requirements, and enhance techniques, tactics, and procedures as a critical part of interoperability of our forces.

 

Military service members from both countries will also conduct combined simulation supported events and operational events in three main commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Western Command, Northern Luzon Command, and Sothern Luzon Command), and other major Philippine military camps such as Crow Valley, Fort Magsaysay, Clark Air Field, Subic Bay, Palawan and Panay to improve their ability to work together, partnering in capabilities and plan follow-on operations. One of the main operations for this year’s exercise will be the implementation of a joint rapid reaction force as part of the distributed operations in the vicinity of Panay, demonstrating the partnered capability in rapid response.

 

BK16 is the 32^nd iteration of the annual exercise. This year, the Philippines and the United States have invited a number of personnel from other regional partner nations to attend a portion of the exercise. Mutual forces from the Philippines, United States and Australia will participate in all major exercise events including the simulation supported event (SSE), operational event (OE) and humanitarian civic assistance (HCA). The AFP has invited the following nations to observe BK 16 activities: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, India, Japan, South Korea, and Timor-Leste. 

 

[“Balikatan” in Filipino means “shoulder-to-shoulder” and characterizes the spirit of the exercise and the Philippines-U.S. alliance.]