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Pacific Air Commandos complete exchange training

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt Marilyn Holiday
  • 353rd Special Operations Group Public Affairs
CEBU, Philippines --  Philippine air force members and Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group, based at Kadena Air Base, Japan, exercised together Feb. 1- 15 during joint combined exchange training, titled Balance Piston.

The 15-day JCET brought the Americans and Filipinos together during planning events, relationship-building exchanges, and Combat Talon II missions at Mactan Air Base, Philippines.

"The primary focus of the JCET program is to improve our combat readiness and to enhance bilateral relations and interoperability with regional nations through improved military-to-military contacts," Lt. Col. Edward Gedney, 353rd Operations Support Squadron and mission commander for the exercise, said. "The JCET program provides an excellent training opportunity for all nations involved, including the United States, since it emphasizes the skills required to meet the most likely future military scenarios."

About 150 Airmen from the 1st Special Operations Squadron, the 353rd Maintenance Squadron and the 353rd Operations Support Squadron, all located at Kadena Air Base, made up the deployed team that accomplished the day-to-day mission alongside the Filipinos. American forces have participated in JCETs within the Special Operations Command, Pacific, area of responsibility since 1984.

"The JCET program is based on peacetime training with numerous nations in the Asia-Pacific region," Col. Ray Chapman, 353rd Special Operations Group commander, said. "The program serves many aims, an important one being military-to-military contact program which reflects the strong, healthy relationship between the partner nation and the United States Armed Forces."

This exercise is a part of a Special Operations Command, Pacific program which supports the overall U.S. Pacific Command's peacetime engagement strategy.