A Feast of Camaraderie and Tradition: U.S., Philippine, and Australian Soldiers forge friendships through shared experiences

From the US Army Website (May 2, 2024): A Feast of Camaraderie and Tradition: U.S., Philippine, and Australian Soldiers forge friendships through shared experiences (By Spc. Kai Rodriguez)

LUZON, Philippines – Soldiers from partner and allied nations across the Indo-Pacific stood shoulder to shoulder around a long stretched table lined with banana leaves. Atop the table was an array of cooked meats served on a generous portion of rice, with no cutlery in sight. This act of sharing a meal, using an individual's hands to eat, is known as a Boodle Fight, a traditional ceremonious feast deeply rooted within Filipino military culture. The feast symbolized brotherhood, camaraderie, and equality among service members.

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Comanche Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, alongside Philippine Army soldiers and Australian Defence Force Soldiers from 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, trained and shared fellowship shoulder-to-shoulder during a Philippine Army led jungle survival course in the Philippines during Exercise Balikatan 2024.

“The Filipinos are real experts in the jungle,” said Australian Defence Force 1st Lt. Isaac Jarvinen, platoon leader for Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. “Getting their perspectives on things and how they work in the jungle with less technology is a great chance for my soldiers to upskill.”

Lt. Jarvinen underscored the Filipino forces’ expertise in jungle environments and the significance of collaborative training during Balikatan to enhance mutual understanding and interoperability among Australian, U.S., and Filipino forces.

“It’s important for us to be here working along with the U.S. and Filipino forces so that we can all understand each other's standard operating procedures and tactics, techniques, and procedures to improve interoperability if we had to work together in the future,” Jarvinen said.

As the multinational forces train together during Balikatan 2024, their soldiers realize the importance of cooperation between partner and allied nations as they work together to ensure regional security.

The multinational forces finished their meal and walked back to resume their training and take on the next challenge in the jungle survival course. As the meal demonstrated, sometimes the smallest moments during a joint exercise end up being the most cherished, and come wrapped in banana leaves.

https://www.army.mil/article/275955/a_feast_of_camaraderie_and_tradition_u_s_philippine_and_australian_soldiers_forge_friendships_through_shared_experiences