Page 75 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

exploring the Old Souk and sampling a bit of Arab culture – for others, jet skiing and the opportunity to relax on the beachfront. The training delivered to the Kuwaitis focused on room clearance drills, Counter-IED and Battle eld Casualty Drills in particular. The Section Commanders prepared and delivered some exceptional lessons, but for all ranks the standard of trainee and the working hours took some getting used to.
Perhaps the most popular period for the platoons was the time that they were given to train in Camp Buehring. Appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the desert, this sizeable camp is a remarkable feat of logistics and was rst built as a staging post for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Fourteen years on, it was still playing a similar role for US Marines moving North. The camp’s ‘Warrior Skills Training Centre’ provided platoons with rst class CQB and medical training facilities in particular.
The Main Effort of the exercise was a combined demonstration with elements of both the KLF and Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG) in front of assorted British and Kuwaiti VIPs. Rehearsals took four full days and ultimately the demonstration itself was a highly choreographed success. That evening the Company was kindly hosted by the British Embassy. The evening was an enjoyable one and a just reward for the Ri emen’s hard work and professionalism over the previous 4 weeks.
Whilst at the tactical level Ex EAGLE’S RESOLVE broke no new ground, strategically it was of particular signi cance. The exercise marked the rst joint training conducted between the British and Kuwaiti armies since the 1990s, at a time when Kuwait is seeking to reaf rm the support of its allies. CDS’s presence in Kuwait (and at the Embassy) during the exercise illustrated the level at which such discussions were taking place. As an Army, we can expect to do more work in Kuwait in the coming years. The exercise gave many Ri emen the opportunity to operate in a region which they had not visited before and an insight into the workings of a foreign army. They delivered on the intent of the exercise and made it a resounding success.
Lt Will Jackson, A Coy 2IC
THE EXERCISE MARKED THE FIRST JOINT TRAINING CONDUCTED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND KUWAITI ARMIES SINCE THE 1990s
A ri eman from the Assault Pioneer Platoon observes Kuwaiti soldiers extracting out of a mine eld
THE RIFLES
THIRD BATTALION 73