WIESBADEN, Germany -- —
Agile Spirit 2019 is a Georgian Defense Forces and U.S. Army Europe cooperatively-led joint multinational exercise occurring July 27 through Aug 9, 2019.
The brigade-level exercise will incorporate a simulated command post exercise, field training and joint multinational battalion-level combined arms live-fire exercises. Agile Spirit 2019 enhances U.S., Georgian, allied and regional partner forces’ readiness and interoperability in a realistic training environment.
Approximately 3,300 military personnel from 14 allied and partner forces will participate from the following nations: Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia (host nation), Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Of the military personnel, about 1,500 are U.S. service members, about 1,450 are Georgian personnel, and about 350 are from the other participating nations.
The exercise will take place in three training locations within Georgia, Vaziani Training Area (VTA), near Tbilisi; Orpholo Training Area (OTA) near Akhaltsikhe; and Senaki Air Base.
United States units participating include 2nd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment; Charlie Company, 1st Battalion 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division; elements of Marine Rotational Force-Europe; elements from 170th Military Police Battalion headquarters; 178th Military Police Company from the state of Georgia U.S. Army National Guard. Aviation support provided by 12th Combat Aviation Brigade; 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division; 165th Airlift Wing and 146th Airlift Wing (Air Medevac), from the Georgia and California U.S. Air National Guard. Additional units supporting are 7th Army Training Command; 21st Theater Sustainment Command; 66th Military Intelligence Brigade; 409th Contracting Support Brigade; 598th Transportation Brigade; U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
The following events during the exercise are open for media to attend:
- July 27 – Opening Ceremony - Senaki Air Base
- August 5 – Command Post & Combined Arms Exercise, Senaki Air Base
- August 9 – Closing Ceremony - Orpholo Training Area
For questions about U.S. Army Europe support of exercise Agile Spirit, please email usarmyeurope.mediadesk@mail.mil. Media representatives interested in covering Agile Spirit 19 events in Georgia should contact the Georgia Ministry of Defense at pr@mod.gov.ge by July 25, 2019 at 17:00 GMT local time with the following information:
- Name
- Media organization
- Position
- Event you wish to attend
- ID/passport number
First conducted in Georgia in 2013, Agile Spirit was an annual U.S. Marine Forces Europe & Africa exercise between U.S. and the Georgian military forces. Beginning in 2018, Agile Spirit transitioned to a biennial U.S. Army Europe exercise, part of U.S. European Command’s Joint Exercise Program (JEP) executed in odd number years. Two major objectives have stayed consistent throughout each iteration: increasing interoperability among participating nation militaries and strengthening regional security cooperation.