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Members of Augusta’s 560th Battle Field Surveillance Brigade (left) meet their counterparts from the 5th Regiment, 9th Division, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force during the opening ceremony for Exercise North Wind 2008. (Japanese Ground Self Defense Force photo)
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IWATESAN, JAPAN – Seven members of the Georgia Guard's 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade recently spent several weeks in the remote, mountainous area of Japan’s home island’s northern region training alongside soldiers of the 5th Regiment, 9th Division, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) in Exercise North Wind 2008.
During the exercise, held from Feb. 27 to March 28, the group served as a command and control cell as well as higher headquarters for the exercise. The group also served as the “brigade response cell” for the staff exercise and collective training.
According to Col. Pete VanAmburgh, who commands the Fort Gillem-based 560th, and one the seven who took part in the exercise, “North Wind was the first exercise in which a brigade such as his had been employed as a higher headquarters and as part of a bilateral operation.“
The other six Soldiers making up the 560th’s group were:
- Executive officer – Maj. Matt Saxon, acting commander Fulton County-based 3rd Squadron, 108th Reconnaissance,
- Surveillance, Targeting Acquisition.Personnel officer – 1st Lt. Colin Thompson, commander Ellenwood-based Company A, 221st Military Intelligence Battalion.
- NCOIC Personnel Section – Sgt. 1st Class Brett Paul, personnel sergeant Company H –Long Range Surveillance– 121st Infantry. Unit is assigned to 3rd Squadron, 108th RSTA.
- Plans and operations officer – Maj. Patrick Watson, plans and operations officer for the 221st.
- Operations sergeant major – 1st Sgt. Matthew Marks, command sergeant major for 3rd Squadron, 108th RSTA.
- Training officer – Capt. Joseph Crervar, training officer for the 560th BFSB.
VanAmburg said the opportunity to participate in North Wind came at the last moment, and it took about 30 days to resolve the training and equipment issues the group faced before getting to Japan. “Our success in getting ready and getting there in the short amount of time that we had is a testament to ability of our Soldiers to take on any challenge with which they may be faced,” he said. “The process served as a great dress rehearsal for future missions.”
Exercise North Wind is an annual bilateral training exercise during which American and Japanese forces work together to strengthen the organizational and operations understanding between U.S. and JGSDF personnel.
During this year’s exercise, the 560th’s participants provided realistic scenarios to “drive intelligence reports to the staff exercise.” During the field training part of the exercise, the group set in motion a scenario that tested forward operating base defenses.
VanAmburgh’s Soldiers also coordinated with, and guided and mentored officers of the subordinate units involved in North Wind. Noncommissioned officers of the group gave hands-on cordon and search training to JGSDF and to Soldiers from the Arkansas, California, Florida and Nebraska Army Guard.
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