FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City – “Nakikita natin na nag-e-exert ng effort ‘yung commander nila.
Kumbaga seryoso sila sa mga ganitong activity lalo na yung bilateral exercises.” Thus said training officer Army Capt. Ian Hermosura of the Philippine contingent of the first-ever visit of an American general to the ongoing Balikatan military exercises here.
Hermosura, assigned at land warfare training of the Philippine contingents, said that the presence of Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general of the US Army of the Pacific, was a boost to the morale of over 200 United States and 500 Filipino soldiers who participate in the exercises.
Brooks who was given military honors here paid a visit of Brig. Gen. Glorioso Miranda of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division and Brig. Gen. Donato San Juan of the Special Operations Command on Wednesday. Later that day, he watched the platoon live fire exercises at Fernandez Hill where joint US-Philippine forces simulated a joint assault using combined direct and indirect weapons upon three enemy forces.
But instead of observing the exercises designed by Hermosura and his American counterpart Major Joseph Weinburgh, operations officer of the 3-4 Cavalry of Hawaii- based 25th Infantry Division, Brooks went close to the assaulting teams.
An officer said Brooks may have wanted to get the full grasp of the scenario in order to see the efficiency of the interoperability training. Hermosura found his mere presence more than enough. “Ipinakikita nito na seryoso yung aim nila na ma-improve hindi lang yung relationship pero yung pagtulong nila sa armed forces natin,” he said.
By combined direct and indirect weapons, the joint forces used their traditional long fi rearms which were M16 for Filipinos and M4 for US counterparts and the US 60mm mortar. Hermosura described the US mortar as “platoon- attached” or handy that can be carried by two-persons as against the Filipinos’ “company- attached.”
“Hindi kagaya ng sa atin na dinadala ng mercantile na mabigat,” he said. The Filipino soldiers, on the other hand, shared with their counterparts the ability to survive on available resources. Over 200 American and 500 Filipinos soldiers participate in the Balikatan military exercises which started on May 6 and to last until May 16 here.
