An Cosantóir

Finnish MRE | 19 By Capt Emmett Harney (B Coy, 7 Inf Bn). Photos courtesy of Capt Janne-Matti Peltola (PSO TRG C, Finnish Defence Forces) T hree officers who served with 106 IrishFinn Bn attended mission readiness exercise (MRE) for the Finnish contingent of 108 IrishFinn Bn. The MRE was conducted by the Peace Support Operations Training Centre (PSO Trg C), Pori Brigade, in Säkylä. The three Irish officers attended the MRE to offer debrief points and also to point out any procedures being used that differed from their experience in Lebanon. PSO Trg C is located approximately three hours north of Helsinki, where the Finnish armed forces have access to a large training area, which they told us was their version of the Glen of Imaal. Within this training area they have built a position similar to Post 2-45, with a permanent tactical operations centre (TOC), and with force protection measures and accommodation similar to the IrishFinn HQ. They also constructed a temporary installation to replicate Post 6-50 using ballistic protection kit that has the capability to take a direct hit from a .5" calibre round. In addition, there is also a FIBUA training area. Many of the exercise and evaluating staff had either served recently with UNIFIL or had been brought back from Lebanon for the MRE. The MRE began on Saturday with two days of training that included stands on checkpoint procedures, reporting procedures and patrolling. All platoons also took part in a live-fire exercise that involved a withdrawal using APCs and dismounted troops after an ambush. On Monday at 0600hrs the exercise element began. Each squad was faced with nine scenarios to deal with, along with routine framework patrols and tasks. The scenarios included crowd/riot control, escorts, area domination patrols, counter-rocket launch operations, combined activities with the LAF, key leader engagement, and forward operating base drills. Conscripts, former military personnel and PSO Trg C staff were used as role players during the MRE, performing roles such as armed elements, LAF personnel, international military police, local key leaders, and Lebanese civilians in the various scenarios, and interacting with the exercise troops. As part of one scenario, local Finnish schoolchildren were employed to simulate an angry group of locals surrounding a security section who were accompanying the company commander on a visit to a school. The schoolchildren enthusiastically used tomatoes and shaving foam to exercise the section commander in reacting to heated situations. Another scenario involved a local leader (played by a retired officer) inviting checkpoint commanders into his establishment for tea, where they were engaged in conversation about local politics, family and religion. The section commanders attempted to gather any relevant information and were also practiced in engaging with the local population in a positive manner. The Finn HQ elements were tasked with providing debriefs on the day's events to the Irish officers in order to practice them in their use of English and military terminology. The exercise culminated with a company-level scenario based on the annual Nakba Day ceremony. This scenario culminated in violent protests in the area of Post 6-50, hostile activity around the Blue Line and the deployment of crowd/riot control elements. Overall the MRE was extremely beneficial to the troops due to deploy to South Lebanon. The scenarios were realistic and challenging and the training reflected the daily activities of the IrishFinn battalion and offered first-hand knowledge for conscripts due to partake in their first overseas mission. The Finnish DCO, who will take over as OC 109 FinnIrish Bn in six months, expressed his eagerness to continue the successful working relationship that exists between the two contingents. www.military.ie the defence forces magazine

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