PH, AUSTRALIA MILITARIES HOLD FIELD TRAINING EXERCISE IN TARLAC

THE Philippine Army and the Australian Defense Force conducted a week-long field training exercise in Capas, Tarlac.

The move aims to strengthen cooperation between the training institutions.

Army spokesperson and Chief Public Affairs Col. Louie Dema-Ala said teams of Royal Military College-Duntroon (RMC-D) visited the Philippine Army’s Officer Candidate School as part of the 2024 Foreign Academy Exchange Program (FAEP) in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac from August 31 to September 6, 2024.

A total of nine RMC-D cadets, accompanied by an Australian military officer, two warrant officers and a non-commissioned officer, participated in a field training exercise of OCS officer candidates.

The Philippine Army, through the OCS, is set to send OCS instructors and officer candidates to Australia on November 2024. 

This year’s FAEP is among the agreed-upon activities by the 2024 Philippines-Australia Defense Cooperation Working Group.

The exchange program aims to foster enduring bonds and strengthen the cooperation between the training institutions of the PA and the Australian Defense Force.

The Officer Candidate School — the Philippine Army’s premier training institution for future Army leaders —facilitates the Officer Candidate Course (OCC), which is a one-year rigorous training program for all qualified baccalaureate degree holders who aspire to lead and serve as Commissioned Second Lieutenants in the Army’s regular force.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army, through the 6th Infantry Division, and the Tentara Nasional Indonesia, Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD) wrapped up Training Activity (TA) PHILINDO-STRIKE IV-2024 at Camp Siongco, Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte on September 2.

The TA PHILINDO STRIKEIV-2024 – an agreed-to-activity during the 29th Indonesia-Philippines Army Working Group Meeting – bolstered cooperation and enhanced both armies’ capabilities for territorial defense operations through brigade-level mission planning in the context of implementing counter-terrorism measures and preventing cross-border terrorism.

A total of 19 Philippine Army personnel and 15 Indonesian Army personnel focused on battle space management, employment of owned assets and other capabilities, and interoperability and synchronization of assets during the six-day training activity.

PA and TNI-AD training participants, during an open forum prior to the closing ceremony, emphasized the importance of enhancing the war fighting skills and capabilities on combined operations through brigade-level mission planning and table-top exercise and strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two armies.