KAMPONG SPEU PROVINCE, Cambodia - U.S. and Cambodian forces stood together on the same parade field March 9, 2015, for the opening ceremony of Angkor Sentinel 2015, an annual bilateral military exercise hosted by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and sponsored by the U.S. Army Pacific.
The purpose of the exercise is to provide a training environment for troops from the Cambodian and United States armies to learn from one another. Some of this year's events include planning and executing a battalion level command post exercise, engineering civic action projects and executing a medical civic action program.
Over 900 Soldiers from RCAF and U.S. Army partook in the day's event, including over 150 from the Idaho Army National Guard; 207th Aviation Battalion, Alaska National Guard; U.S. Army Pacific; 8th Army; U.S. Army Reserve; the Asia-Pacific Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Fusion Center; 18th Medical Command; and the 413th Contracting Brigade.
Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, Deputy Chairman of the RCAF Joint Staff, spoke of Angkor Sentinel in his opening ceremony remarks, stating that the purpose of the exercise was to "continue to enhance cooperation, maintain good engagements, increase friendship ties, (and) provide multinational cooperation capabilities."
Brig. Gen. John Goodale, Idaho Army National Guard Deputy Commanding General-Army, affirmed as much in his remarks during the opening ceremony, when he said "Angkor Sentinel 2015 is a dynamic exercise that will challenge the participants. It is a two-way exchange, and the U.S. Soldiers learn as much from their Cambodian counterparts as the Cambodians learn from us ... This exercise will improve military readiness and professionalism and create lasting memories and friendships."
Angkor Sentinel 2015 continues a substantial, six-year effort by U.S. Army Pacific and U.S. Pacific Command to build Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief capability in Cambodia. It directly contributes to achieving key U.S. and Cambodian security objectives by providing a rigorous training environment for both nations.
Cambodia uses the exercise to prepare forces for United Nations missions around the globe, and internal and regional Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief missions. This year marked the Idaho Army National Guard's fifth year of participation.
The exercise promotes military readiness and interoperability, and is U.S. Army Pacific's capstone Security Cooperation event with Cambodia.
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