YAVORIV, Ukraine - Soldiers from Ukraine's 1st Battalion, 93rd Mechanized Brigade graduated from a 55-day training rotation of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, Sep. 23, 2016, at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center.
This marked the fourth rotation this year for JMTG-U. The training focuses on individual skills such as marksmanship and first aid all the way through collective skills to include platoon and company live-fires. All of these training objectives are a part of JMTG-U's efforts to help increase Ukraine's capacity for self-defense.
"The Battalion has not only gained a reputation, the battalion has not only gained some knowledge, but it has also gained some friends," said Lt. Col. Bohdan Dmytruk commander of the 1-93rd during a graduation ceremony at the IPSC.
The multinational training team included Soldiers of the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division who completed their first of two rotations.
"I must tell you there are no finer group of men who have defended their nation than the one's standing in front of me from the 1st of the 93rd," said Lt. Col. Jay Wisham, commander of 6-8 CAV. "We have learned as much from you as you have learned from us."
Along with 6-8 CAV were instructors from Canadian, Lithuanian and Polish forces. The multinational forces worked together to deliver a standard program of instruction that was practical for the Ukrainian army but also focused on general NATO standards.
"To all of our American, Lithuanian, Polish, Danish and Canadian Soldiers who assisted in the training alongside our partners in 1-93 battalion, I applaud you for your exceptional hard work, professionalism and dedication," said Lt. Col. Wayne Niven commander of Canada's Joint Task Force Ukraine. "You have witnessed the improvement in skills that you have helped develop all the while providing an excellent example of NATO interoperability to our Ukrainian partners."
The members of the training team will have some time to reset and evaluate the recent rotation before beginning the fifth and final rotation of the year in October.
JMTG-U's primary mission is about building a sustainable and enduring training capacity and capability within the Ukrainian armed forces. The focus is on direct training in the near term, while building capacity quickly through the consolidation and resourcing of dedicated training cadre to support the development of a combat training center at the IPSC.
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