Success in Work and Play

Sweating together while playing football (called soccer in the U.S.) to the chants of Thai civilians watching the game, Thai and U.S. soldiers took their COBRA GOLD 2004 interaction to the sports field. The teams were made up of combined nationalities, and the game was just for fun. “It doesn’t really matter about winning or losing,” said Thai Army Col. Marut Limcharoen, who played midfield. “It is supportive of friendship.” The multinational soldiers played tug of war during halftime to build camaraderie. More than a hundred spectators watched the game, which has become an annual event for Thai and U.S. forces to bond on a personal level.
Conclusion

Deputy Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Gen. Veerachai Iamsaad and U.S. Ambassador Darryl N. Johnson presided over the closing ceremony of COBRA GOLD 2004 in Korat. Gen. Veerachai told attendees, “COBRA GOLD has gone from a bilateral defense training mission to a multilateral exercise, and that was the objective.” He said, “Lately we have focused on peacekeeping operations. We have been able to exchange ideas, learn to use each other’s equipment, and do better staff work.”

Ambassador Johnson said, “Despite the ongoing demands of U.S.-led combat operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. still brought sufficient forces to COBRA GOLD to conduct combined operations to address a complex contingency scenario. COBRA GOLD thus stands as a mark of U.S. commitment to regional stability in Southeast Asia.”

The benefits of COBRA GOLD 2004 were substantial. Each participating military gained a better understanding of other armed forces tactics and abilities. More importantly, mid- and high-level officers made personal connections with their counterparts in other militaries. This opens lines of communications, increases the chance for shared intelligence, and eases the complex task of coalition operations. Moreover, the lessons learned are applicable to the Global War on Terrorism, since defeating terrorism requires that like-minded countries train and work together as they did in COBRA GOLD 2004.