Tradewinds 2016 is a Caribbean-focused exercise which helps nations better respond to natural disasters and land and maritime threats, including illicit trafficking. The exercise is being conducted from June 5 - 28 in two main phases in Grenada and Jamaica. The exercise includes U.S. military and security agencies who are training alongside counterparts from 17 nations.
News & Imagery
Mexican Naval Infantry Force Marines provide security during a simulated patrol during the final exercise of Tradewinds 2016, at Twickenham Park Gallery Range, Jamaica, June 25, 2016. Tradewinds includes both maritime and land phases, which will further enhance opportunities for participating countries to improve their security and disaster relief assistance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Justin T. Updegraff/ Released)
More Tradewinds 2016 News and Imagery at DVIDS
Overview
Tradewinds 2016 is a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-directed, U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise conducted in cooperation with Caribbean Basin partner nations.
Tradewinds supports the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), as well as U.S. Southern Command’s theater security engagement goal of building partner nation capacity at the tactical and operational levels.
The exercise is designed to conduct joint, combined and interagency training which focuses on increasing regional cooperation for complex multinational security operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.
Participants
About 1,700 U.S. military, partner nation security personnel and civilian personnel are participating in all phases of the exercise.
Nations Involved
Personnel from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago -- will join military personnel from the United States, Canada, France, and the United KingdomAntigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago -- will join military personnel from the United States, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.
Participating regional organizations include the Regional Security System (RSS), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), and CARICOM.
U.S. Forces Involved
U.S. participation includes the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy Reserve, U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Army National Guard will be participating in Phase I. During Phase II, the 4th Law Enforcement Battalion, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, U.S. Navy Reserve, U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Coast Guard will be participating. In both phases U.S. forces, along with other U.S. government agencies, will conduct Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) with all participating nations.
Training
Phase I
Phase I includes maritime and land operations and will take place in and off the coast of Grenada. The basic framework of the maritime operations in Phase I will be a combination of classroom instruction, practical application and underway drills. Some examples are littoral patrolling, small boat operations, engineering administration, maritime law enforcement, and operations center procedures. Land operations in Phase I will focus on the challenges of conducting Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief operations and dealing with the associated security challenges that occur during a disaster.
Phase II
Phase II includes maritime and land operations and will take place in and off the coast of Jamaica. During the Tradewinds Phase II Ground portion, Marines from 4th Law Enforcement Battalion, along with the Canadian Army, will conduct subject matter expert exchanges with other partner nation militaries on techniques in marksmanship and weapons handling skills, internal security operations, military support to law enforcement, and command and control. During the Tradewinds Phase II Maritime portion, coast guards and navies from participating nations will refine diving skills and maritime operations. These different tracks will require a combination of classroom presentations and practical application.
Key Leader Seminar
Although the most visible portions of this exercise are the maritime and field portions in Phase I and II, there is a Key Leader Seminar scheduled from July 20-22 in Miami for key stakeholders and decision makers from within the region.