MIAMI -- U.S. Marines and 21 partner nation coast guard, law enforcement and ground forces arrive today in Antigua and Barbuda to participate in exercise Tradewinds 2011.
Tradewinds is a joint-combined, interagency exercise and will involve U.S. personnel from the Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Joint-interagency Task Force-South, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with forces from: Antigua-Barbuda (host nation), Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago.
Tradewinds is intended to improve cooperation and interoperability between partner nations in responding to regional security threats.
The Exercise is a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs directed, U.S. Southern Command sponsored annual exercise that is conducted in cooperation with Caribbean Basin, Central and South American Partner Nations.
Tradewinds 2011 will focus on regional defense, Peace Keeping Operations and Counter Illicit Trafficking Operations through law enforcement, basic infantry and maritime operations training tracks.
"The goal of Tradewinds 2011 is to increase cooperation among CARICOM, Regional Security Service and other partner nations. This exercise will improve operational center management, basic infantry skills, law enforcement tactics, techniques and procedures, Search and Rescue, Maritime Interdiction Operations and maritime operating procedures," said Maj. Eric Dominijanni, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, exercise coordinator. "The U.S. and the Caribbean share common interests and regional challenges require cooperative solutions. We are committed to building lasting partnerships that will enhance our ability to work effectively together."