A U.K. Soldier with the British Army's 1st Battalion, The Rifles, 160 Brigade, discusses options for using vehicles during crowd control with a Kazakhstani instructor from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion during Steppe Eagle Koktem, Apr. 3, 2017...

A U.K. Soldier with the British Army's 1st Battalion, The Rifles, 160 Brigade, discusses options for using vehicles during crowd control with a Kazakhstani instructor from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion during Steppe Eagle Koktem, Apr. 3, 2017...

U.S. Army Soldiers work with Kazakhstani Soldiers from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade to develop operational products for Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 4, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Steppe Eagle Koktem focuses on a series of milita...

Staff Sgt. William Gordley, 149th Military Engagement Team, observes a Kazakhstani signal soldier who races against time to prepare his radio and send a radio check during Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 4, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Tact...

Kazakhstani soldiers and U.S. Army Soldiers develop a concept of the operation sketch for Steppe Eagle Koktem during a military-to-military engagement focused on planning at the company level Apr. 4, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Step...

U.K. soldiers from 1st Battalion, The Rifles, 160 Brigade, go up against Kazakhstani soldiers from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion during a friendly tug-o-war competition Apr. 4, 2017, during Steppe Eagle Koktem at Illisky Training Center, Kaza...

Sgt. 1st Class Javier Martinez, 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, represents the U.S. Army team during a team-building event and sports competition between the U.S., U.K. and Kazakhstan soldiers Apr. 4, 2017 at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. ...

Lt. Col. Kent Cavallini, deputy commander for the Kentucky National Guard 149th Military Engagement Team, left, escorts Lt. Col. Joseph Gardner, commander of the 149th MET, and Sgt. Maj. Jesse Withers, Command Sgt. Maj. of the 149th MET, around Illis...

Maj. Ashley Philbin, Arizona National Guard, left, discusses battalion staff planning operations with soldiers from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion during one of the military-to-military engagements of Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 5, 2017, at Illis...

Lt. Col. Joseph Gardner, commander of the Kentucky National Guard 149th Military Engagement Team, center, shakes hands with one of the Kazakhstani instructors from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion during his visit to Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 5, ...

Lt. Col. Kent Cavallini, deputy commander of the Kentucky National Guard 149th Military Engagement Team, center, and Lt. Col. Joseph Gardner, commander of the 149th MET, meet with officials from the Presidential Office of Kazakhstan Apr. 5, 2017, at ...

Kazakhstani soldiers practice reacting to a mass casualty incident Apr. 5, 2017, during Steppe Eagle Koktem at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Medical operations are one of the military-to-military engagements that occur during Koktem in prepara...

The Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade hosted a progress update for Exercise Steppe Eagle and Kazakhstan's peacekeeping operations Apr. 6, 2017. Military and civilian officials from the U.S., U.K. and Kazakhstan attended the brief and viewed demonstrati...

Gen. Maj. Almaz Jumakeyev, chief of Air Assault Forces for Kazakhstan, right, welcomes Brig. Gen. Alan Richmond of the British Army's 160th Infantry Brigade, along with U.S. and U.K. defense officials, Apr. 6, 2017, during a progress update for Stepp...

The Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade hosted a media day for members of local Kazakhstan media Apr. 6, 2017, during Steppe Eagle Koktem at Illisky Training Center. The Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion, along with U.S. and U.K. soldiers, displayed a fe...

Kazakhstani soldiers with the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade discuss the practical exercises that occured over the last three days of Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 9, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. The practical exercises allowed the soldi...

A Kazakhstani instructor takes notes during a crowd control scenario for Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 9, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Soldiers from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion are preparing for the NATO Evaluation Level 1 later...

Sgt. 1st Class Javier Martinez, 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army, demonstrates how to search an enemy soldier wounded in action Apr. 9, 2017, during the practical exercise scenarios for Steppe Eagle Koktem at Illisky Training Center, Kaz...

A Kazakhstani instructor from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion, center, and an observer from the U.S. Army, right, hand a casualty card to a Kazakhstani soldier during a scenario for Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 10, 2017, at Illisky Training Center,...

Lt. Col. Askar Kozhagaliyev, combat training directorate officer for Kazakhstan Land Forces Command, left, and Lt. Col. Bulat Dusembayev, commander of the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade, received the after action review brief on behalf of the Armed ...

Lt. Col. Bulat Dusembayev, commander of the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade, makes the closing remarks during an after action review for the U.S., U.K., and Kazakhstani soldiers on the last day of Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 11, 2017, at Illisky Trainin...

Lt. Col. Bulat Dusembayev, commander of the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade, left, presents Cpl. Christopher Meek, 1st Battalion, The Rifles, 160 Brigade, with a certificate of appreciation during the closing day of Steppe Eagle Koktem, Apr. 11, 2017...

Lt. Col. Bulat Dusembayev, commander of the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade, made the opening remarks and welcomed the U.S. and U.K. soldiers to Steppe Eagle Koktem, the first phase of Exercise Steppe Eagle, during a formation Mar. 31, 2017, at Illis...

Kazakhstani soldiers from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion practice and demonstrate crowd control techniques as part of Koktem, phase one of Exercise Steppe Eagle, Apr. 1, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Crowd control is part of th...

Staff Sgt. Joshua Atanovich, 149th Military Engagement Team, watches the time as a Kazakhstani soldier from the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion prepares his radio for a commo check during Steppe Eagle Koktem, Apr. 4, 2017, at Illisky Training Cente...

A soldier with the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion tests the PH level of the purified water during a peacekeeping operations scenario for Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 9, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Water purification is essential to s...

An Arizona National Guard Soldier races for the ball during a game of soccer against the U.K. soldiers with 1st Battalion, The Rifles, 160 Brigade, Apr. 2, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. The soldiers are participating in Steppe Eagle K...

Kazakhstani and U.S. Army Soldiers race toward the soccer ball during a team-building game Apr. 2, 2017, as part of Steppe Eagle Koktem at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Koktem is a series of military-to-military engagements that lead into Exer...

Master Sgt. Kevin Walker, 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support), shows a Kazakhstani medic how the U.S. Army assesses a patient for injury during Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 2, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. The medical information exc...

Capt. Denis Babiyev, 149th Military Engagement Team, Kentucky National Guard, discusses fire support operations with Kazakhstani soldiers during Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 2, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Fire Support is one of many mil...

Two U.S. Army Soldiers and a Kazakhstani Soldier with the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion Sustainment Company develop a company operations order Apr. 2, 2017, that will be used for the rest of Exercise Steppe Eagle. Exercise Steppe Eagle 17 takes p...

A Kazakhstani soldier with the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Battalion extinguishes the flames of a petrol bomb during a demonstration of how to react to petrol bombs when conducting crowd control operations Apr. 1, 2017, during phase one of Exercise Stepp...

Staff Sgt. Joshua Atanovich, 149th Military Engagement Team, participates in a tactical communications information exchange with Kazakhstani soldiers Apr. 1, 2017, as part of Steppe Eagle Koktem at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Koktem is phase...

Staff Sgt. Joshua Atanovich, 149th Military Engagement Team, discusses tactical communication operations with signal soldiers with the Kazakhstani Peacekeeping Battalion Apr. 1, 2017, during phase one of Steppe Eagle at Illisky Training Center, Kazak...

Sgt. 1st Class Luis Roldanneris, Alpha Troop, 6-9 Cavalry Regiment, works with a Kazakhstani brigade staff officer to prepare an operational order during Steppe Eagle Koktem Apr. 1, 2017 at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. The products prepared d...

Lt. Col. Kent Cavallini, deputy commander of the 149th Military Engagement Team, introduces the U.S. Army Soldiers during the opening ceremony of Steppe Eagle Koktem Mar. 31, 2017 at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan. Koktem is a series of military...

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Approximately 50 U.S. and U.K. Soldiers and more than 500 Kazakhstani Soldiers participated in Koktem, phase one of Exercise Steppe Eagle, which took place March 31 to April 11, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan.

A cold wind blew past as medics rushed across an open field to their patients. Radio operators followed close on their heels to call in the medical evacuation requests. Their patients were actually exercise role players that held casualty cards describing their injuries.

Medical and communication operations are two of 19 tasks covered during Koktem, phase one of Exercise Steppe Eagle, which took place March 31 to April 11, 2017, at Illisky Training Center, Kazakhstan.

Koktem, meaning "spring" in Kazakh, is a series of military-to-military engagements involving U.S., U.K. and Kazakhstani soldiers that occur simultaneously and support the themes of Exercise Steppe Eagle 17 later in the year.

The military-to-military engagements also included public order, military planning, troop leading procedures, engineer tasks, water purification, media engagement, entry control points, convoys, patrols, civil-military coordination, rules of engagement, and fire support.

Approximately 50 U.S. and U.K. Soldiers and more than 500 Kazakhstani Soldiers participated in Koktem. Participating U.S. Army Soldiers came from around the world and included units from U.S. Army Central, the Kentucky Army National Guard and the Arizona Army National Guard.

The state of Arizona has had an enduring partnership program with Kazakhstan since 1993, and they were well represented at this year's first phase of Exercise Steppe Eagle.

The British Army's 1st Battalion, The Rifles, 160 Brigade, also had a strong representation and participated in many of the military police functions, such as entry control points and convoy operations.

During Koktem, the commander of 160 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Alan Richmond, visited the training center to view the progress of this year's military-to-military engagements.

"We take the lead for the United Kingdom in terms of military-to-military relations and development here in Central Asia," said Richmond. "We as a brigade are very proud to be working alongside our American friends and allies to support Exercise Steppe Eagle and (build) our relationship with Kazakhstan. And the development of (Kazakhstan's) capability, the peacekeeping capability, is very important."

Soldiers from all three militaries spent the first week of Koktem running through the academics of each task covered for peacekeeping and peace support operations. The academics week was followed by a three-day field training exercise that combined all of the tasks.

On the final day of the exchange, the Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade hosted an after action review that pulled together lessons learned from the U.S., U.K. and Kazakhstan participants.

"This was a successful two weeks that will add to the exercise in July," said Lt. Col. Kent Cavallini from the Kentucky National Guard, adding that he saw, great spirit and great teamwork from all participants.

Exercise Steppe Eagle 17 will take place in Kazakhstan this summer, and will focus on multinational peacekeeping and peace support operations. Exercises like Steppe Eagle 17 promote mutual understanding and interoperability between partner nations, and provide an opportunity to build relationships and exchange ideas.