British, U.S. Military Instructors to Train GTEP Soldiers

A joint British-American training program will start on May 5 at Krtsanisi training camp near Tbilisi to provide follow-up training to the four Georgian battalions, trained under U.S.-funded Georgia Train-and-Equip Program (GTEP).

A 12-member team of officers from the U.S. Marine Corps would undertake tactical and operational training of the battalion headquarters officers of the Georgian army.

Five British instructors, together with British-trained Georgian officers, will train the Georgian soldiers in Peace Support Operation tactics. The 50 Georgian servicemen already underwent British-sponsored Peace Support Operation training in March.

The first unit to start U.S.-British joint training course is the 16th (Sachkhere) Mountain Battalion, due to be deployed in Iraq soon after completing training.