Azerbaijani Units Return from Training in Germany with US and NATO Forces

103 personnel from Azerbaijan's NATO Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) Battalion and Peace Keeping Battalion returned from the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, where they had been participating in a Mission Rehearsal Exercise since September 9, reads a press release of the US Embassy to Azerbaijan. 

The purpose of this training was to prepare other participating nations' units for their upcoming deployments to Afghanistan, while also providing Peace-Keeping / Security Forces training to Azerbaijan's contingent.  The training focused on countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), counter-insurgency operations, establishing military checkpoints, and other peace-keeping and security forces training.

This is the first time that Azerbaijani soldiers participated in such an exercise.  Other units participating in this exercise at JMRC included Albania, Slovakia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Azerbaijan's NATO Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) Battalion is a unique unit that the Ministry of Defense has identified to become interoperable with NATO units participating in coalition stability and security operations.  The Peace Keeping Battalion has been providing forces to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan since 2002.

This deployment is the product of over one year of joint planning between the U.S. Embassy Office of Defense Cooperation, the U.S. European Command, the U.S. Army - Europe, NATO, and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense.  Experience gained at this exercise will enhance both units' ability to conduct coalition stability and security operations and to improve interoperability with NATO forces. -0-