FORT BENNING, Ga., (Dec. 9, 2015) -- Forty-six Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation students completed the Countering Transnational Threats course Dec. 2, the last graduation of the year at the institute.
The course trained the diverse group of military and law enforcement personnel in operations to counter transnational threats, a challenge requiring international coordination and cooperation.
Much of the coursework is done in the field, working on techniques and tactics required to combat Transnational Crime Organizations and drug-trafficking organizations.
A highlight of the course is the week of cooperative training with students at the Navy Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
Incorporating the expertise of NAVSCIATTS at Riverine Operations, training reaches a higher level of realism. The CTT students learn that water obstacles are just another aspect of their missions, one that can be faced with confidence, using the right tools and techniques.
The trip also expands the experience by integrating people of many more nations, an opportunity to develop many more relationships and experience the joint, interagency collaboration essential to such operations.
The WHINSEC students represented militaries and law enforcement agencies of seven countries: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and Paraguay.
While these countries face the complexities of combating transnational crime, each has its own laws and plans, so the course promotes understanding of the differences and the necessity of knowing what others are doing.
Students also develop relationships and friendships over the 10 weeks of the course, leading to better coordination of efforts among the nations of our region.
Colombian Army Lt. Col. Juan Ordoñez, an instructor in the WHINSEC Command and General Staff Officer course, spoke to the group, helping prepare them for the responsibilities they are taking on.
He told them that "the level of knowledge acquired during the course, the ability to successfully identify the characteristics of the organizations that threaten our security will allow you to make timely, informed and doctrinally sound recommendations to strategic-level leaders to counter illegal activities."
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