Troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States Armed Forces will test their interoperability in responding to incidents involving a high number of casualties as part of the ongoing “Exercise Balikatan” 2023.

(Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines / AFP)

The combined medical mass casualty training will be held on Saturday, April 15, in Sangley Point, Cavite.

In this exercise, evaluators will assess the soldiers’ performance as they conduct first aid treatment and extricate heavily wounded persons in a remote location in a simulated scenario. 

The goal of the exercise is to share expertise from both armed forces in reacting quickly to real life scenarios with high number of casualties, the AFP said.

Meanwhile, a two-day combined field artillery live fire exercise was held by the AFP and US Armed Forces at Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base (CERAB) in Tarlac concluded on Friday, April 14.

A platoon live-fire exercise was also held by troops from the Philippine Army’s (PA) 99^th Infantry Battalion, 7^thInfantry Division, and 51^st Engineer Battalion together with three platoons from the US Army Pacific at CERAB. 

They conducted various operations during the exercise including artillery preparatory fires, helicopter air assault, aerial gunnery, obstacle breaching, knockout bunker, and room clearing.

Balikatan in full swing

The largest iteration of Balikatan is in full swing as more activities were held by Filipino and American soldiers in various parts of the country. To be held until April 28, this year’s PH-US war games involve 17,600 troops as well as 111 participants from the Australian Defence Force and observers from 12 nations.

In Palawan, Philippine Navy (PN) ships BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Tarlac (LD601) sailed together with US vessel USS Makin Island (LHD8) for an amphibious raid over the beach of Brgy. Samariña in Brooke’s Point town, according to Commodore Alan Javier, public affairs officer of the Naval Forces West (NFW).

(Photo: BRP Tarlac / Naval Forces West)

More than 400 US troops and 200 AFP personnel also participated in the combined joint logistics over the shore (CJLOTS) training in Aurora province.

(Photo: Philippine Navy, Naval Forces Northern Luzon)

The participants demonstrated their capabilities in offloading and backloading US cargoes and amphibious bulk liquid transfer system (ABLTS) operations in the shores of Casiguran town.

“[The] said exercise aims to demonstrate the US and PH’s ability to transfer mission essential (liquid and solid) cargoes from sea to the shore when fixed port facilities are unavailable, damaged or denied due to enemy activities or calamities,” explained Lt. Junior Grade Mary Christine Tuazon, public affairs officer of the Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL).

At Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray, deputy chief of staff for civil military operations, administered the pinning of next higher rank to US Marine Lance Corporal Paley Fenner on Thursday, April 13.

(Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray [left], Armed Forces of the Philippines deputy chief of staff for civil military operations, and US Marine Lance Corporal Paley Fenner / AFP photo)

Fenner was promoted to corporal while serving as a combined joint information bureau (CJIB) member of the PH-US Exercise Balikatan 2023.

“It is such an honor to be here today and I look forward to doing my best in this exercise and working shoulder-to-shoulder with our Filipino counterparts,” Fenner said.

On the other hand, a total of 52 free-fallers from the Special Operations Command of AFP and US Special Operations Command Pacific joined the bilateral military freefall friendship jump in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija.

(Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines / AFP)

The airborne soldiers jumped off two Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey aircraft of the US Air Force at an altitude of 9,000 feet above the ground level as they parachuted towards the drop zone in Brgy. Liwayway.

“It aims to enhance interoperability and jointness between the PH and US Special Operations Forces,” said Col. Jorry Baclor, chief of AFP public affairs office.