Windmill International, BABADAG TRAINING AREA, Romania: The Red Scorpions, a veteran Romanian army regiment seasoned with one tour of duty in Afghanistan, is now training together with U.S. Army forces of the 1st Armored Division out of Germany and elements of the Texas and Alabama national guard in a training camp constructed by the ShipSup Group and Windmill International in a remote area near Babadag, Romania.
Traian Basescu, President of Romania, visited the joint bi-lateral exercise ROMEX 05, speaking with and witnessing live-fire training by Romanian and American soldiers.
The Romanian president tasted U.S. Army food in the mess hall, fired an M-16 on the live-fire range, and witnessed a convoy training event where Romanian and U.S. soldiers responded to a simulated attack. President Basescu said he was impressed with the emphasis on constructive interaction between the soldiers from both countries.
The theme of international cooperation is exemplified in the joint team of the companies Windmill International (USA) and ShipSup (Turkey) in providing the construction and services for the camp. The team converted a 50-acre piece of land in the remote Romanian countryside to a self-contained, self-sufficient mini-city, complete with electricity, sewage, fresh water, catering services, accommodations, a highly developed telecommunication infrastructure, helicopter landing facilities, vehicle maintenance, training areas, Internet cafes, beach volleyball courts, and much more. defencetalk.com
Utilizing innovative mobilized solutions, including barrack units that are contained within a shipping crate that can be easily transported by ship and truck, the camp was built in less than 45 days. The camp also created job opportunities for the surrounding area, as 250 Romanian workers are employed at the site. Senior officers from the Texas National Guard remarked that it was the best camp seen during any training exercise.
In a press conference following the convoy live-fire demonstration, the president stated that he hoped the exercise site would be used jointly in the future.
He added that the valuable training gained here would definitely be used by the Romanian troops when they deploy to Afghanistan later this year, their second tour of duty in the country, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Gen. Constantin Degeratu, Military Advisor to the President, was also impressed with the increasing complexity of the exercise, noting that Romanian soldiers are using their combat experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans and building on it in exercises with the U.S. Army: “One of the most important things is to see the increasing level of cooperation between our armies. Romanians are more and more a part of the alliance.”
President Basescu echoed his words with praise for all the soldiers, saying, “Thank you for all that you are doing here together.”
ROMEX 05 was designed to familiarize the U.S. Army with Romania, test the local infrastructure, and solidify contacts with the Romanian people and military. It runs through August 2nd.
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