Today, 7th April 2014, at the Training Support Centre (TSC) “Pepelishte” – started the field exercise “Macedonian Flash – 10”. At the formal opening, the Deputy Commander of the Joint Operational Command (JOC) Brigadier General Muhamet Racaj, and the Commander of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Pavle Arsovski were present. During the opening, addressing the participants in the exercise, Brigadier General Muhamet Racaj pointed out that the forthcoming exercise provides an excellent opportunity for carrying out collective training of the units, as a way of acquiring NATO standards, but also for perfecting of staff processes in the NATO – led operations, which will contribute to the increase in the combat readiness. At the same time, he emphasized that the high marks which we continually receive from NATO when participating in the peacekeeping missions, and the successfully performed evaluation exercises of the declared units are the strongest guarantee for successful accomplishment of this, in many ways, complex exercise.
After completing the opening ceremony, there was a tour of the exercise management and the higher command, which were put into operation the previous day.
The exercise was preceded by a few months’ individual and collective preparations, in order to carry out training and drill of various situations in accordance with the list of tasks from NATO, when performing the peace support missions.
The exercise “Macedonian Flash – 10” is a live exercise, with units in the field, based on a scenario for peace support operations led by NATO/ EU, and under the mandate of the UN, which should demonstrate the combat readiness of the declared units for use in NATO-led operations.
