Georgia Train and Equip program (GTEP)

Georgia lies at the heart of the Silk Road, the ancient crossroads of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Located on the Black Sea, the republic shares land borders with Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It is an important new nation with aspirations of becoming an international business and industrial transit hub. In the Republic of Georgia, the news cameras focus mostly on Russian accusations that the republic harbors Chechen rebels on their mountain border.

The Georgians claimed their independence from Russia in 1992. Unemployment is still high. But Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze has a vision for his country -- to make it a conduit for trade and one of the most important transit countries in the world. Major road, railway, and pipeline routes between Asia and Europe cross its borders. A new pipeline is planned from the oil-rich Caspian Sea basin through Georgia to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean Sea. But Georgia needs modernization before it can become a conduit for trade.

On 29 April 2002 the Department of Defense announced the beginning of the Georgia Train and Equip program (GTEP). This program implements President Bush's decision to respond to Government of Georgia's request for assistance to enhance its counter-terrorism capabilities and address the situation in the Pankisi Gorge. This effort will complement other counter-terrorism efforts around the globe and will increase stability in the Caucasus. The 20-month, $64-million plan, involving a maximum of 150 US soldiers, is expected to be duplicated in 20 other countries.

A flexible, time-phased training initiative, GTEP builds upon the strong military-to-military relationship developed between the two countries since the end of the Cold War, and further underscores U.S. support for Georgia's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Under the Georgia Border Security and Law Enforcement (GBSLE) program, the US has provided the Georgian border guard, customs, MOD, and other border security and law enforcement agencies with communications equipment, vehicles and helicopters with spares/repair parts for transport and patrol, surveillance and detection equipment, computers for automation of applications, licensing and regulatory systems, and forensics laboratory assistance. In mid-2002 the US Army Corps of Engineers' Europe District helped the Georgian State Frontier Defense Department celebrate its 10th anniversary in grand style. The opening of a renovated aviation maintenance facility on the Alekseevsk airbase tarmac, beside the Tbilisi commercial airport, marked a significant improvement for the upkeep of the Georgian (Russia) border guard's Mi-8 and Mi-2 helicopters. The $3.2 million renovation of the hangar and an accompanying warehouse were two initial projects completed in 2002 under the Georgia Border Security and Law Enforcement assistance program funded by the U.S. government, and coordinated by the U.S. Customs Service. The facility supports maintenance of aviation assets of the Georgian border guard and its rapid reaction group based in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital.

Selected members of SOCEUR will conduct the GTEP. A SOCEUR site survey team of approximately 20 people departed for Georgia on 29 April 2002 to coordinate GTEP logistical requirements. Included in the team are logistics, contracting, and communications personnel. Once this groundwork is accomplished, the main body of instructors will arrive, and the initial program of instruction will begin shortly thereafter.

The initial program will consist of command center staff training for members of the Georgian Ministry of Defense as well as staff training for units of the Land Forces Command. Border Guards and other Georgian security agencies will be included to ensure interoperability among Georgia's security forces. The program's goal is to build strong and effective staff organizations capable of creating and sustaining standardized operating procedures, training plans, operational plans, and a property accounting system. The curriculum will consist of performance-oriented training and practical exercises similar to those taught at the National Defense University, Joint Forces Command, and U.S. Army War College. Staff training is designed to last approximately 70 days and will be conducted in a small group, classroom setting.

In addition to staff training, tactical training will be provided sequentially and will consist of approximately 100 days per unit. The goal of the tactical program is to instruct Georgian battalions in light infantry tactics, to include platoon-level offensive and defensive operations and basic airmobile tactics. The curriculum for the tactics training will include basic individual skills, such as combat lifesaver, radio operator procedures, land navigation, and human rights education. It will also include individual combat skills, such as rifle marksmanship, individual movement techniques, and squad and platoon tactics.

During GTEP, military equipment is slated for transfer to Georgia. Equipment includes uniform items, small arms and ammunition, communications gear, training gear, medical gear, fuel, and construction materiel.

After nine-months, in late 15 December 2002, the Operation Enduring Freedom mission in the former-Soviet republic of Georgia will transition from U.S. Army Special Forces to U.S. Marines.

Although the leadership and trainers will change, the end result is that the GTEP mission remains the same -- enhancing the capability of selected Georgian military units to provide stability and security to the citizens of Georgia and the Caucasus region.

This was followed by unit level tactical training for the Georgian commando battalion, which will conclude with a graduation ceremony Dec. 15. During these initial nine months, Special Operations Command Europe had oversight of the arrival of individual soldier and unit-level equipment, established property accountability procedures, and upgraded selected Georgian facilities to include the renovation of three GTEP classrooms and two troop barracks.

Marines, under the operational control of U.S. Marine Forces Europe, will provide training for selected units, to include, a light infantry battalion and a mechanized company team. They will also have oversight for the remaining equipment and facilities upgrades. The Marines will take command on Dec 15, 2002, the first phase of GTEP they will conduct is slated to begin early February 2003.