4th Quarter 2007

   

An annual multilateral exercise held in Thailand, COBRA GOLD began as a bilateral Thai-U.S. exercise in 1982. Since then, the exercise has expanded to include several Asia-Pacific countries. COBRA GOLD 2007 participants included Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. In addition, representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Republic of Korea, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom participated as Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT) members. The MPAT Program is a cooperative multinational effort to facilitate the rapid and effective establishment and/or augmentation of a multinational task force headquarters. MPAT provides responsive coalition/combined expertise in crisis-action planning. The following URL has additional information on MPAT: http://www1.apan-info.net/Default.aspx?alias=www1.apan-info.net/mpat.

Observing COBRA GOLD 2007 were representatives from China, France, Germany, and the Philippines. “[Observers] broaden the COBRA GOLD training experience by providing different perspectives on CTF [combined task force] operations,” said U.S. Marine Col. John O’Hey. “The observer program allows non-exercise participants an opportunity to see what this valuable training exercise has to offer, and how it contributes to regional security.”

COBRA GOLD helps ensure regional peace and security by improving interoperability of participating countries to respond to regional contingencies, including natural disasters. For example, the strong ties developed as a result of this annual exercise led to the rapid and effective multinational response to the December 2004 tsunami that struck Southeast Asia.

Exercise Events
COBRA GOLD 2007 had three major parts: a peacekeeping and peace enforcement computer-simulated staff exercise involving a senior leaders seminar and a Thai-led United Nations-authorized multinational combined task force; field training events; and 11 humanitarian and civil assistance projects consisting of four engineering construction projects and seven medical, dental and veterinary clinics.

The field training portion paired Thai-U.S. service members and included mine countermeasures, diving, base and airfield security, an amphibious assault exercise, jungle training, and nonlethal weapons training.

Opening Ceremony
Addressing participants at the COBRA GOLD 2007 opening ceremony, Alexander A. Arvizu, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), U.S. Embassy, Thailand, said, “COBRA GOLD has evolved from being a strictly bilateral joint exercise to a truly multilateral event designed to enhance our ability to respond to peace enforcement and peacekeeping responsibilities under the United Nations. For over a quarter century, COBRA GOLD has been the most visible symbol of United States and Thai military cooperation. COBRA GOLD makes the militaries of each of our countries better able to operate.” DCM Arvizu also commented on the importance of the training for disaster relief. “In November 2004, at the final [exercise] planning conference; Thai, American, Japanese and Singapore officers worked closely together in developing an understanding of each other’s capabilities,” he said. “Two months later after the Indian Ocean tsunami spread devastation throughout Southeast Asia, scores of these same officers were working together to save lives. Their ability to work together was due in no small part to their having fostered relationships and developed skills under COBRA GOLD.”

“COBRA GOLD presents not only a great opportunity for U.S.-Thai Marines, sailors, airmen, and soldiers to conduct joint training in a number of mission areas, it allows us to practice our coordination abilities from a staff perspective so that we can operate as a combined task group if need be to maintain regional stability,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Carol M. Pottenger, Expeditionary Strike Group Seven and the Combined Naval Forces Deputy Commander for the exercise. “We look forward to working with the Thais and those from Singapore, Indonesia and Japan, because it would take the cooperation and combined effort of all of us if a contingency were to occur.”

Observer Countries
Exercise leaders briefed observers on the main components of the exercise: the field-training events; humanitarian/civil assistance projects throughout the country; and staff exercise cells, including key command and control components. Observers viewed the combined operations center, the civil/military operations center, the combined exercise control group, and the tactical air command center. They visited the Royal Thai Navy training center at Sattahip Naval Base and a humanitarian/civil assistance project at a school in Rayong Province. The observers also toured the U.S. Marine Corps’ tactical air command displays. The displays included the theater battle management control system terminal and a Web-based battle command display that provides the air component commander a picture of the next 24 to 48 hours of air activity. Despite the challenges of hosting so many countries, the Thai military handled the changes in stride, noted Thai Navy Capt. Dorne Tipnant, liaison for the Combined Observer Liaison Team (COLT). “It’s not too hard when you consider how many good things can come of this, and we can easily overcome any obstacles like language barriers,” he said.

Meeting Counterparts
With the motto “Strength through Friendship” characterizing COBRA GOLD 2007, leaders of Combined Naval Forces (CNAVFOR) hosted a social event for Singapore, Thai, and U.S. military personnel before the official start of the exercise. This event helped to establish working relationships in a nonmilitary environment.

CNAVFOR leaders hosting the event included CNAVFOR Commander, Thai Navy Rear Adm. Boonchai Marinpong; CNAVFOR Deputy Commander, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Carol M. Pottenger; and CNAVFOR Assistant Commander, Republic of Singapore Navy Lt. Col. Sam Abey.

“As we all know, there is strength in friendship,” said Rear Adm. Marinpong. “Let’s get to know one another and make friends with one another.”

“Friendships are a key component to what we do,” said Rear Adm. Pottenger. “Our professions are the common bond between us, so that we may learn more about each other’s cultures and lives.”

Participants freely interacted with each other, sharing life and naval stories. They made new friends and said that the bonds fostered would strengthen as the exercise progressed. The strategic necessity for friendships was put in perspective by Singapore Navy Lt. Col. Vincent Leet. “If there is a contingency and you have to work with others, it’s reassuring when you know the person on the other end of the phone,” he said. “These links are lasting.”