Photos: NASSAU, Bahamas - Cpl. Waldo Azcona Rivas with the Dominican Republic Defence Force executes a front kick while practicing defensive techniques during ´non-compliant boarding´ training at Royal Bahamas Defence Force Base Coral Harbour, March 9.    More Tradewinds 2009 Photos

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Interview with Royal Bahamas Defense Force spokes-woman   Interview with Honduran and Dominican partners       The Coast Guard discusses their role in exercise

Quick Links: Units and Commands uU.S. Marine Corps Forces South uJoint Interagency Task Force-South uDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA) uNaval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) uU.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area (DHS) uRegional Security System (RSS) Caribbean   Details: TRADEWINDS, held from March 4 – 18, was a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-directed, U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise conducted in cooperation with Caribbean Basin Partner Nations.  U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, based in Miami, was the executive agent for the exercise.   This was the 25th annual TRADEWINDS exercise.   TRADEWINDS` realistic training scenarios helped to better coordinate partner nations’ Search and Rescue (SAR) and Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), increase  maritime domain awareness and better coordinate seizure of illicit-trafficking vessels that can be used to smuggle weapons, explosives, narcotics, terrorist or other human traffic.   The exercise also assessed the effectiveness of SOUTHCOM’s Enduring Friendship program. The program provides select partner nations with high-speed interceptor boats fitted with extensive communication and surveillance capabilities, operation and maintenance training, and command and control systems. U.S. troops from all services, the U.S Coast Guard, Joint Interagency Task Force-South and the Drug Enforcement Agency participated in the exercise. They were joined by security forces from the region and Royal Marine Commandos (U.K.).    Participating U.S. Agencies: Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Naval Criminal Investigative (NCIS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration.   Participating Nations: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, St. Kitts-Neves, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, United Kingdom and United States.   Training Objectives: »    Synchronize activity with Enduring Friendship program. »    Counter trans-national threats (terrorism, illicit trafficking). »    Collaboration among partner nations to counter the security threat. »    Coordinate and synchronize with partner nations to enhance maritime interdiction and security capabilities integrating deployed Enduring Friendship command and control assets into an operationally challenging exercise scenario. »    Collaboration of maritime interdiction among host nation-Joint Interagency Task Force-South-SOUTHCOM and regional security forces. »    Provide vehicle for promoting regional cooperation and interoperability. »    Assist host nation maritime operation centers to develop increased capability, to improve mutual assistance capability, and interoperability with emphasis on search and rescue (SAR) and maritime interdiction operations (MIO).

Key Points:   u Security forces from the Caribbean and Central America have developed a solid working relationship based on mutual respect and an open exchange of ideas with U.S. Military forces.  We all share the common goal of defeating the transnational illicit trafficking threat and we are committed to building lasting partnerships that will allow us to train together, share knowledge and increase our interoperability.     u Terrorism and illicit-trafficking are threats faced by all Caribbean nations and these threats have a transnational impact.  Regional cooperation is required to effectively counter these threats.     u TRADEWINDS 09 fosters cooperation and increases interoperability among the participating nations by helping improve partner nation capabilities to conduct end-game interception of illicit traffic.  This cooperation contributes to regional stability.     u TRADEWINDS 2009 provides training to help participating nations maritime security forces operate as an effective team coordinating maritime interdiction and security operations.     u TRADEWINDS strengthens military cooperation between partner nations in the region and improves our collective ability to meet transnational threats.  The transnational nature of the 21st century security threats requires stronger maritime, regional and multinational cooperation.