CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait--After more than 100 Kuwaiti Land Forces Institute (KLFI) Soldiers successfully completed training with the 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, a graduation ceremony was held at the Kuwaiti Land Forces Institute Feb. 22. As part of the training, the 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment or 'Conqueror Battalion' executed a multi-day joint training exercise to train KLFI Soldiers on the fundamentals of small unit tactics, combat life saver techniques and troop leading procedures. In addition, the training included Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) rifle marksmanship, squad attack, cordon and search, military operations in urbanized terrain, and medical evacuation. "The Kuwaiti Land Forces' dedication to training its leaders is very impressive and we enjoyed the opportunity to start a new chapter in our partnership with this exercise," said Capt. James Gibbs, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment commander. The first of its kind as a joint partnership with the KFLI students; the exercise also included training and rotating KLFI instructors for the live-fire element of the Kuwaiti Flagpole Exercise. The goal is to enhance interoperability among U.S. forces and their partners, improving team effectiveness in communication and working together. The training exercise is planned to continue with U.S. Forces each year. "From movement to completion of the exercise, communication was the key to mission success and the transparency between forces only elevated our partnership as well as strengthened it," said 1st Sgt. Taylor Donohoe, Charlie Co., 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment 1st Sgt. The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team also known as the 'Iron Brigade' is here in support of U.S. Army Central Command, and acts as a ready force to respond to any security threat in the region. The brigade conducts multiple theater security training exercises with regional partners. "The entire brigade is extremely busy," said the commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, Col. Charles Lombardo. "We are learning a lot. The brigade has used its initiative and partnered with every country we have visited, and we have been aggressive in connecting to our partner nations." -30-