Belmopan. June 3, 2019. Twenty soldiers of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) Volunteer Element departed the country on Thursday, May 30th, to participate in military exercises at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, U.S.A., along with the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Louisiana National Guard.
The main purpose of the training exercise is to validate Combat Teams readiness for deployment. The soldiers will be trained in Wide Area Security, Combat Arm Maneuver and in Conduct of Offensive, Defensive and Stability Operations.
The BDF Volunteer Soldiers will be working alongside U.S. Special Forces for the first half of the training. Thereafter they will take up the role as Opposing Forces. The Belize contingent is led by Captain René Cavanas.
The joint exercise is an initiative of the State Partnership Program between the Belize Armed Forces and the Louisiana National Guard.
The soldiers will return to Belize on June 23rd.
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