Barbados Defence Force Lt. Ramon Blackman assists his teammate, Ordinary Seaman Jada Worrell, during the Women, Peace, and Security Team Building Challenge at Paragon Base in Christ Church, Barbados, on May 11, 2024. SGT. JOSHUA TAECKENS/U.S. ARMY
THE WATCH STAFF
For nearly 40 years, the annual Tradewinds exercise has brought together dozens of regional allied and partner nations to improve the interoperability of their forces, build trust between command staffs and to strengthen ties and security in the Caribbean. This year, the exercise, which ran from May 4 to May 16, 2024, was hosted by Barbados, and its top-ranking military official said unity of purpose achieved concrete results.
“As we gather from different nations with diverse backgrounds and experiences, we are united by a common goal to enhance capabilities, strengthen our partnerships and foster cooperation amongst our forces,” said Barbados Defence Force Cmdr. Mark Peterson, the exercise co-lead.
Tradewinds is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored (USSOUTHCOM) exercise intended to foster interoperability between security forces as troops drill maritime and land operations, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster responses, in a dynamic security environment. Started in 1986, the latest iteration of Tradewinds saw more than 1,200 military personnel from 26 nations participate, including detachments from key regional allies and partners Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas, according to USOUTHCOM news releases.
In late April 2024, the HMBS Bahamas, along with a 70-member team led by Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Capt. Gregory Brown, departed for Barbados to take part in cyber training, special operations training, explosives and ordnance training, and dive and drone operations, along with maritime operations and operation planning. Most of the training took place at Pelican Base Barbados and Paragon Base Barbados.
“The aim of the training is to expand the Caribbean region’s ability to mitigate, plan and effectively respond to any unforeseen crisis. To achieve this, the training exercise provides a great platform for establishing relationships both personal and professional with regional partners with a view to increase overall capabilities of everyone involved. This aligns with the professional objectives outlined in the sentiments of Cmdr. Dr. E. Raymond King,” according to an RBDF news release.
The world has seen a rise in political tensions and the Caribbean region is no exception, a U.S. general said at the opening ceremony. “There are significant events occurring across the globe,” said Texas Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Monie Ulis, U.S. Army South deputy commanding general. “Everything you will train on here is based on human rights, the rule of law and the professionalization of partner militaries, thus, making our forces adaptable, trained and ready to respond to transboundary challenges … Let’s not take for granted the level of planning that is required to bring together over 20 like-minded democratic countries and regional organizations to achieve a common purpose … This exemplifies a shared commitment to strengthen our partnerships and remain united under shared responsibilities as the defenders of common values,” Ulis said.
One of the most important Tradewinds objectives is team building, both within organizations and between allied and partner nations. To this end, two-person teams from eight countries met on the sandy shores of Paragon Army Base for a Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Team Building Challenge on May 11, 2024, according to a USSOUTHCOM news release. The teams from the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, France, Jamaica, Mexico and the United States completed a grueling quarter-mile beach run, a mile-long terrain race and an obstacle course.
“The purpose of the challenge was to show that men and women can overcome obstacles and achieve success together,” said Barbados Coast Guard Lt. Karen Carvalho, lead WPS planner for the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), according to the release. Barbados won the competition, but that wasn’t the point, said BDF Lt. Ramon Blackman. “Even though there can only be one winner, we’re still friends at the end of the day … Interacting with all the participants and getting to know them was the best part of the competition.”
After the event, the competition took an unexpected turn. Teams were reshuffled and individuals were paired with competitors from different nations for what U.S. Army Lt. Col. Cathy Alston, USSOUTHCOM WPS gender advisor, described as a “plot twist,” according to the release. Together, they were thrown into scenarios designed to test their application of WPS principles taught throughout the exercise, particularly emphasizing gender consideration in humanitarian events. “This challenge was designed not only to test physical endurance but also to foster camaraderie and teamwork among nations,” Lt. Col. Alston explained. He continued, “Partner nations working with one another is always crucial. It is important in order for us to build a strong team.”