Flintlock 2013
OVERVIEW:
The government of Mauritania and twenty-three (NATO) African and European partner nations teamed with Oak Grove to plan, organize and support the JCS Exercise Flintlock 2013. The exercise simulated a real-world crisis scenario that utilized Combined Joint Counterterrorism Operations to return the exercise-invented region back to the control of the host government.
During the exercise, the involved multi-national forces and partner nation forces of the host government conducted special operations missions to reduce the stronghold of the conjured up Trans Sahara Combat Group (TSCG) terrorist organization and re-established the internationally recognized borders of the host government. The task force also utilized various civil military and psychological operations to conduct humanitarian assistance with neighboring country refugees, establish border security and rebuild the country’s infrastructure once repatriation had been completed.
CHALLENGE:
The primary challenge of FL 2013 was to conduct a large-scale exercise that incorporated a wide range of multi-national Special Operations Forces in combined counterterrorism training operations. The overreaching objective was to increase interoperability between Western and African forces and to ensure stability for growth and development within the borders of African partner nations.
SOLUTION:
OGT achieved this by utilizing a ten person team with over 235 years of military Special Operations experience to observe, control, advise, and, specifically, mentor the multi-national Special Operations Training Groups along with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in the areas of command and control, operations and intelligence. The OGT Team also used their extensive experience in cross-cultural communications to assist Western nations in communicating and relating with their African counterparts.
CLIENT:
Joint Special Operations Task Force – Trans Sahara
MARKET:
Department of Defense
NATURE OF WORK:
Scenario Development
RESULTS:
Oak Grove successfully created the exercise scenario to bring together the many diverse military assets and give them a realistic and vital vehicle by which to work through a crisis situation and prepare for future contingency operations.
With the final end to Operation Iraqi Freedom and the march to troop drawdown in Afghanistan, the U.S. and other NATO countries are now in a position to provide military training and support to establish security within the African region.