US, PH troops end 2-week training in Clark

CITY OF CAN FERNANDO – Troops from the United States and the Philippines concluded a two-week training program inside the Clark Freeport in Pampanga on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, the US Embassy said on Thursday.

It said the training, made at the invitation of the Philippine government and directed by the US Pacific Command, was the second undertaken by the Air Contingent since April 2016 after the announcement made by former Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and his counterpart, former US Defense Secretary Ash Carter.

“The purpose of the Air Contingent is to promote increased interoperability between U.S. and Filipino forces and to further enhance security cooperation and disaster response capabilities between the allies,” the embassy said in a statement.

The Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing, soldiers from the US Army’s 5th Engineer Detachment Geospatial Planning Cell and 500th Military trained alongside Philippine airmen.

They used the Eagle Vision satellite system as aid in the planning of military operations including disaster response. JE