Exercise TRADEWINDS 2024 Media Kit

EXERCISE TRADEWINDS 2024 MEDIA KIT

ABOUT EXERCISE TRADEWINDS 2024

Exercise TRADEWINDS 2024 (TW24) is a United States Southern Command-sponsored military exercise which is conducted annually in the Caribbean region. The theme for this year’s exercise is “Tailored By The Region, For The Region. Promoting A Secure Caribbean, 2024 and Beyond.” Now in its 39th year, TW24 is scheduled to be held in Barbados during the period 4 – 16 May 2024, and will witness the participation of 26 countries and organisations, comprising of military and law enforcement personnel, in various aspects of training. The Exercise is designed to improve cooperation, interoperability and operational responses between participating nations to common threats to national, regional and hemispheric security. This year, the exercise will also place an emphasis on preparing regional Forces for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2024.

Exercise Tradewinds has proven to be extremely beneficial to all participating nations and agencies. It provides a unique platform from which participants with varied training, procedures and cultures can integrate and operate seamlessly in responding to common threats. TW24 will provide an excellent opportunity for greater regional and sub-regional integration, coordination and networking of the region’s security forces. Additionally, it will afford security forces and HADR agencies an opportunity to be exposed to updated techniques in disaster management and mitigation as well as in counter-narcotics and other aspects of law enforcement.

Barbados also stands to benefit from an economic perspective. The US SOUTHCOM will inject a significant amount of funds into the local economy to procure goods and services in support of the exercise. There will also be an inflow of approximately 1000 foreign military and law enforcement personnel from the Caribbean, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

Participating Countries:

Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, France, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

Participating Organizations:

a. The Barbados Police Service

b. The Barbados Fire Service

c. The Department of Emergency Management

d. The Regional Security System (HQ)

e. The Customs and Excise Department and

f. The Immigration Department

g. CARICOM Secretariat

h. Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency

i. CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security

j. Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency

k. Caribbean Public Health Agency

Host Country Lead Planner

Commander Mark Peterson

Barbados Defence Force

Commander Mark Anthony Peterson joined the Barbados Defence Force at the age of 18 after being a member of the Barbados Cadet Corps for 7 years at the Lodge School from 1992 - 1999. He enlisted on 31st March 2000 in the Barbados Regiment before being selected to attend a Basic Officer's Training Course in Trinidad and Tobago in 2001. There, he was awarded the coveted Baton of Honour upon completion for his performance on the course.

On his return to Barbados in 2002, he was posted to the Barbados Coast Guard, before being shipped off to the Britannia Royal Naval College for his Naval Officer training. After completing his naval training, he was attached to the Royal Navy's fishery protection fleet deployed in the English Channel and the North Sea before returning home to serve in the Barbados Coast Guard.

In the Barbados Coast Guard, he has served on board the Flag Ship HMBS TRIDENT as the Navigation Officer and then Officer in Command of the Small Boat Flotilla. In 2005, he was the first Barbadian to attend a Special Force’s Commanders Course in the People's Republic of China. Upon completion of this course, he was posted to the Force's Training Company as Training Officer for two (2) Recruit Intakes. Commander Peterson's next assignment was as Executive Officer on board the second new Offshore Patrol Vessel to arrive in Barbados in December 2007. In 2009, he assumed command of the vessel at the age of 27, becoming one of the youngest Commanding officers in Barbados' history. As Commanding officer, one of his first deployments was to the Fifth Summit of the Americas where they were part of a multi-national task group responsible for the safety and security of President Barrack Obama on his inaugural visit as well as other visiting dignitaries. He was awarded the General Service Medal for service rendered to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

In 2012, again he was the first Barbadian to attend the Naval Command Course at the People's Republic of China Naval Command College. Upon completing this course, he was posted as G3 (Staff Officer Operations and Training) from January 2013 to February 2015. Thereafter, he assumed command of the Barbados Coast Guard from February 2015 to October 2021. He is now the Staff Advisor to the Chief of Staff.

Commander M Peterson is a qualified French Commando, a Range Conducting Officer, USCG trained Boarding Officer, a Law of Armed Conflict Instructor and a US Navy-trained diver, inter alia. He is the recipient of the Defence Board Commendation, the General Service Medal (5th Summit of Americas), the General Service Medal (Glendairy), the Barbados Service Medal of Honour, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Commander M Peterson holds a Diploma in Architectural Drafting, an Executive Diploma in Management from the UWI Cave Hill, an MSc with distinction in National Security and Strategic Studies from the UWI Mona and a Masters in Military Arts and Sciences from the US Army Command and General Staff College. He is a Justice of the Peace and married with two sons.

Co – Coordinator

Colonel Charles Kearles

US Southern Command

Exercise Director for exercises in the Joint and Army Exercise programs covering 31 countries and territories in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Directly responsible for exercises training over 5,500 U.S. and Partner Nation military personnel annually.

Colonel Charles Kearles serves as the USA Army South Director of Training and Exercises. In his tenure he leads a team of twenty-five (25) soldiers and the Department of the Army Civilians in planning and execution of all USA Army supported exercises in the U.S Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Area of Operation (AOR).

Additionally, Col Kearles is the Exercise Director for exercises in the Joint and Army Exercise programs covering thirty-one (31) countries and territories in the Caribbean and Central and South America. He is also directly responsible for exercises and training for over 5.500 USA and Partner Nation military personnel annually.

Exercise TRADEWINDS 2024

Track Briefs

Leads:

LAND & INTERAGENCY TRACK

Barbados Defence Force:

Captain Shane Drakes

The Barbados Police Service:

Superintendent of Police Bobb

US SOUTHCOM:

Major Michael O’Driscoll

CARICOM TASK FORCE TRACK

Leads:

Barbados Defence Force:

Lieutenant Commander Graham Rocheford

Canadian Armed Forces:

Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Hale

The Land track is focuses on conducting full Spectrum operations with US Forces, Interagency, and Partner Nation Security Forces to develop Integrated Deterrence, Counter Malign Influence, and Increased Interoperability within the Joint Interagency Intergovernmental and Multinational Environment. The main objectives are Weapons Familiarization, Combat 1st Aid, Vehicle and Entry Check Points, Patrolling, Cordon and Defensive Ops, Cordon and Defensive Ops, Military Operations in Urban Terrain, Pistol & Rifle training and Counter –IED.

The primary benefits are expanding the Region’s capability in countering malign influences, mitigate, plan for, and respond to the most likely and most dangerous events which are likely to causes individual and mass crowd causalities. Additionally, the Region will benefit from the strengthening of partnerships; increased regional training and the readiness of all participating forces.

The CTF track is responsible for the planning, organising, directing and executing the collaborative efforts between the HN and PN’s Defence Forces and constabularies in order to Combat Transnational Organised Crime (CTOC) and conduct Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response Operations while developing strong and lasting relationships and reinforcing Human Rights awareness in support of Barbados’ objectives for CWC 24. The main objectives are to exercise command and control of subordinate component commands and linkages to the supported nation; conduct Collaborative Planning (Plan, Direct and Act); enhance Intelligence/Information Sharing; conduct Logistics Planning and refine doctrinal CTF Structure/Manning/SOPs.

The primary benefits derived from the CTF are expanding the Caribbean Region’s capability to mitigate, plan for, and respond to crisis; strengthening partnerships and countering malign influences throughout the region; increasing regional training capacity and the readiness of all participating forces; increasing Interagency integration in the Caribbean, specifically with U.S. Forces, Regional Organizations, and Partner Nation Forces and promoting human rights, WPS (women, peace, and security) principles, and ensuring adherence to shared international norms and values

DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT TRACK

Leads:

Barbados Defence Force:

Captain Robert Harewood

Lead:

SPECIAL OPERATIONS TRACK

The Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response (HA/DR) Track is significantly critical because the Caribbean is known to be the 2nd most hazard-prone region in the world, as it is vulnerable to not only natural hazards of geological and hydro-meteorological in nature, but also to several anthropogenic-type hazards as well.

As Barbados prepares to host the International Cricket Council’s Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup in June, as well several other major Mass Crowd events following, the HA/DR Track will seek to provide the National Emergency Management System in Barbados with an opportunity to increase Barbados’ levels of preparedness and readiness to treat to any known hazard threat or impact which may occur during the period; enhance local Inter-Agency coordination between the National Emergency Management entities; and test, assess, and promote interoperability amongst national, regional, and international agencies and partners.

In order to achieve these objectives, the HA/DR Track will have 2 lines of effort, which are to firstly, practice the Field Medical Facility’s Operations Plan and Standard Operations Procedures, and secondly, practice the Emergency Services in inter-agency Emergency Response interventions, particularly in Urban Search and Rescue, Mass Casualty Management, Emergency Evacuation, Hazardous Materials Response, and Incident Management.

The National stakeholders within the HA/DR Track will hail from The Barbados Police Service (Incident Management and Evacuation lead), the Barbados Fire Service (Urban Search & Rescue and Hazardous Materials lead), the Emergency Ambulance Service (Medical Response and Mass Casualty Management lead), the Department of Emergency Management (inter-agency coordination and logistics lead), and the Barbados Defence Force (Field Medical Team lead and support to security, medical, and fire/rescue).

The HA/DR Track will see support being provided by personnel from both regional and international partners representing: the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Regional Security System, Caribbean Public Health Agency, Pan-American Health Organisation, United States Southern Command, Canada Joint Operations Command, Mexico Armada, Dutch Military, Pacific Disaster Centre-Global, My Medic, and personnel from the Belize and Jamaica Defence Forces.

The DEM, as the Barbados National Disaster Office, takes lead of the HA/DR Track as is legislated by the Emergency Management Act Cap. 160 A (2007), to coordinate the National Emergency Management System and support its preparation for, and response to known hazard threats or impacts within Barbados.

Special Operations Track will conduct an exercise to develop the capability of all participating Special Operations Forces to conduct Full Spectrum Operations during Tradewinds 2024 with U.S Forces, Interagency, and Partner Nation Security Forces in Barbados from 3-17 May 2024 developing Integrated Deterrence, Counter Malign Influence, and increase Interoperability within the Joint Interagency Intergovernmental and Multinational Environment.

Barbados Defence Force:

Sub Lieutenant Elvis King

MARITIME TRACK

Leads:

Barbados Defence Force:

Sub Lieutenant Sasha Marshall

US SOUTHCOM:

Commander Anita Williams

CYBER TRACK

Leads:

Barbados Defence Force:

Second Lieutenant Sade Sealy

US SOUTHCOM:

Jeff Edmonds

The SoF track will commence with refresher training to confirm participants can effectively operate with limited direction and supervision with basic marksmanship and TCCC to advance to close quarter combat, long range Sniper engagements and Fast Rope insertions from Helicopters while committing to neutralizing threats. In continuation of the exercise, participants will be employed in coordinated FMPs which will test the various training evolutions conducted.

The intent of the Maritime track is to expand the regions capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to a crisis The track will seek to increase force readiness and strengthen partnerships increase security and situational awareness in the maritime domain. The major areas of training will be:

a. Diving

b. Maritime law enforcement

c. Combatting illegal fishing

d. Engineering Training

e. Offshore Patrol Vessel Training

f. C3 Training

The Cyber track is focused on collaboratively strengthening cyber-awareness through training and exercising cyber personnel in the areas of crisis and information management, as well as threat analysis and incident response.

The main objectives are to exercise the capability to prepare for, defend against and quickly respond to cyberattacks, to exercise proficiency in developing, incorporating, and implementing cybersecurity planning and understanding the importance of information sharing via its processes and methods.

The benefits of the cyber track include strengthening relationships between partner nations, bolstering regional security, interoperability and the proficiency to rapidly respond to crises and as well increasing and improving readiness.

Exercise TRADEWINDS 2024

Public affairs office

Host Nation: Lieutenant Shímar Gollop (O): 12465362992 (C/WA): 12468324007 (E): g9@bdf.gov.bb

US Southern Command

Major Tifani Summers (C/WA): +1-706-580-0757 tifani.g.summers.mil@army.mil,

US Embassy

MS Katherine Smith (O): 12462274182 (C/WA): 12462306591 (E): smithkk3@state.gov

Military media products for TRADEWINDS 24 will be uploaded daily to: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/Tradewinds24

TRADEWINDS 24

TRADEWINDS is a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-approved exercise that supports Large Scale Global Exercise 2024 (LSGE24) which is an umbrella term that incorporates several exercises, including TRADEWINDS 24 (TW24), which enable the U.S. Joint Force to train with Allies and partners and improve shared understanding, trust, and interoperability on security challenges across the globe. TW24 is one of 32 LSGE24 operations, activities, and investments conducted across the globe featuring unilateral U.S. exercises as well as bilateral and multilateral events designed to build upon capabilities, readiness, and relationships with Allies and partners.

HISTORY OF TRADEWINDS

TRADEWINDS is a regionally oriented annual exercise held annually since 1984 (2020 canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) that promotes regional security cooperation by involving security forces from partner nations, primarily from the Caribbean Basin, U.S., Canada, France, Netherlands, and United Kingdom.

DESCRIPTION OF REGIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION

The 39th iteration of TRADEWINDS, TW24 is focused on foreign military interaction, maritime interdiction, ground security, and field training exercises supporting SOUTHCOM’s Campaign Plan. TW24 scenarios include countering Transnational Criminal Organizations and Violent Extremist Organizations to help finalize the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) standard operating procedures, enhance regional collaboration and stability, and effective response to other security threats.

EXERCISE FOCUS

● TW24 will take place in Barbados from May 4 - 16, 2024. This is a multi-domain exercise: ground, air, sea, and cyber. The focus of TW24 is aimed at countering regional threats executed in a Field Training Exercise (FTX) and Command Post Exercise (CPX).

● During the exercise, regional civilian agencies, security forces, and Observer/Trainer Teams will focus on building capacity for the CARICOM, the regional agencies/institutions of the Regional Security System (RSS), the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

● An After-Action Review (AAR), with participating nations’ military leaders, will follow completion of the exercise. Lessons learned during TW24 will be shared with partners and incorporated into future exercises and operations.

● Exercising in these domains will enhance participating Caribbean nations’ ability to improve security and response while increasing cooperative ties among participating nations through building skills in interdiction, security, and interagency cooperation.

PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES (26)

Over 1000 participants from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, France, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Peru and Chile.

PARTICIPATING U.S. FORCES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

The Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Army, Army National Guard and Reserves, and Special Operations Command along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Agency.

PARTICIPATING REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Representatives from CARICOM Secretariat, RSS, CDEMA, IMPACS, Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOS), and Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)

For TRADEWINDS 23 (Guyana) military media products: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/Tradewinds23

Military media products for TRADEWINDS 24 will be uploaded daily to: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/Tradewinds24