From 21 to 25 September 2026, at the Chojlija and Boro Menkov Barracks in Kumanovo, Army personnel conducted two joint training activities with personnel from U.S. Army units, aimed at enhancing capabilities, exchanging experience, and applying standard procedures.
At the Chojlija Barracks, personnel from the Engineer Battalion of the First Infantry Brigade, as part of the Military-to-Military (Mil-to-Mil) Program, conducted training with instructors from the Engineer Battalion of the Vermont National Guard. The training focused on mobility and countermobility operations and involved the designated Combat Engineer Support Unit from the Engineer Battalion, which is part of the Light Infantry Combat Group.
At the Boro Menkov Barracks in Kumanovo, joint training was conducted for Army CBRN and EOD teams, focusing on operations in a contaminated environment, casualty management, first aid, and the application of procedures in the presence of hazardous materials and unexploded ordnance.
During the practical phase, the personnel conducted reconnaissance in a contaminated environment based on a scenario involving the discovery of an unexploded device in the presence of chemical agents. The exercise included procedures for identification, securing the site, and further handling of the device. A practical exercise was also conducted based on a mass-casualty scenario involving a large number of injured and contaminated personnel, during which procedures for their evacuation from the contaminated environment, mass decontamination, and giving first aid were practiced.
The training activities were conducted with the support of the U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation and the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of North Macedonia, with the participation of U.S. Army personnel.
The implementation of these activities contributes to enhancing operational readiness and interoperability, as well as to the exchange of knowledge and experience and further strengthening defense cooperation with the United States of America.
