BANJA LUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina – The execution phase of NATO Regional Exercise 2016 (REGEX 16) came to a conclusion, Oct. 27, 2016.
REGEX is a NATO supported opportunity for partner countries to plan and conduct an exercise from the beginning to the end according to their training requirements. Bosnia and Herzegovina took the lead for REGEX 16 as the first partner country to serve as host.
The 7th Regional Collective Training Event Planning Workshop for REGEX 16 took place Oct. 18-22 and was conducted in Kozara Barracks at Banja Luka. A total of 30 officers from 12 countries participated and were supported by staff from Allied Joint Force Command Naples and NATO HQ Sarajevo. The participating countries were: Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Jordan, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia , Kyrgyz Republic, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.
The Execution Phase, which took place in two locations, ran from Oct. 24-27. It was conducted as a Command Post Exercise (CPX) of a multinational brigade simultaneously with a Live Exercise (LIVEX) of a multinational battalion combat group. There were 58 Officers from 11 countries, EUFOR and NATO HQ Sarajevo participated in the Execution Phase in conjunction with 138 troops from a Military Police Serbian platoon, a Ukraine Infantry platoon and Airborne platoon and a EUFOR Infantry platoon.
"It has been a privilege to be first Partner Country hosting REGEX,” said Lt. Gen. Anto Jelec, Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces Chief of Defense, who also acknowledged the contribution of Partner countries, JFC Naples, NATO HQ Sarajevo and EUFOR in planning and executing the Exercise.
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Giselle Wilz, commander of NATO HQ Sarajevo and senior NATO representative at the REGEX distinguished visitor day, congratulated the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina for planning and developing REGEX 16, and she remarked upon the high professionalism showed by the exercise participants.
Work is currently underway to deliver REGEX 17 in Jordan, with workshop 2 planned for the week of Nov. 27.
*Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.
Story by Allied Joint Force Command Naples J9 Military Partnership Branch
Photos by Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces