By Capt. Desiree Dillehay, 149th Military Engagement Team
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The commander of the 149th Military Engagement Team, Kentucky National Guard, presents the commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army Central Command with a plaque Feb. 16, the final day of a military-to-military engagement between the U.S. and Jordan. During the engagement, over 40 JAF officers and 13 U.S. Soldiers developed interoperability while exchanging information about division current operations integration cells. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Desiree Dillehay)
AMMAN, Jordan, --Working together is valuable to our continued partnerships with the Jordanian people, said Lt. Col. Joseph Gardner during a military-to-military engagement with the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) Central Command Feb. 12 to 16.
Gardner is the commander of the 149th Military Engagement Team, a team of Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers who deployed to Kuwait in December 2016 with the specific purpose of conducting military-to-military engagements with countries throughout the Middle East and Central and South Asia regions.
During the last two months, the 149th MET has conducted a number of engagements with the JAF of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, including two week-long information exchanges.
Six team members from the 149th MET, supplemented by Soldiers from the 29th Infantry Division and 30th Civil Military Operations Center, worked with Jordan Armed Forces Soldiers during a current operations integration cell information exchange Feb. 12 to 16.
During the engagement, more than 40 JAF officers and 13 U.S. Soldiers developed interoperability while exchanging information about division COICs.
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Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army officers work with a U.S. Infantry noncommissioned officer from the 149th Military Engagement Team to develop a digital common operating picture during the culminating event of the mil-to-mil engagement Feb. 16. U.S. and Jordanian personnel worked together to prepare for future bi-lateral exercises in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Desiree Dillehay)
U.S. and Jordanian forces shared best practices and refined their staff skills through practical application opportunities during the COIC information exchange.
During a five-day engagement Jan. 21 to 26, three Soldiers from the 149th MET and 10 additional U.S. Soldiers from various units conducted a combat engineer, chemical and explosive ordnance device information exchange with the Jordanian Royal Engineer Corps.
“…We honor our relationships with our partners and are honored to have the opportunity to work with their Soldiers, from generals to privates,” said 1st Lt. Petrus Knight, 149th MET intelligence officer and an engagement team leader.
“This (engineer) engagement proved, yet again, that the language of combat engineers, EOD and (chemical) Soldiers is mutually understood between allies, regardless of native tongue," he added.
Both exchanges increased interoperability, developed relations, and laid the foundation for future bi-lateral exercises and engagements between U.S. and Jordanian forces.