LtCol Jeff Scofield - Military Timeline

Tandem Thrust 97 was held in and around the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in central Queensland during the period 10-22 March 1997. It was the first of it's biennial series to be exercised with Austral

Tandem Thrust 97 was held in and around the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in central Queensland during the period 10-22 March 1997. It was the first of it's biennial series to be exercised with Australia. The Exercise demonstrated the closeness of the military-to-military relationship between the U.S. and Australian Defence Forces by combining efforts to strengthen the alliance between the two countries to pursue common regional and international security objectives and contribute to the preservation of security and strategic stability in the region. The exercise demonstrated a variety of ADF and US military capabilities in a combined arms environment and test the capability of Australian and United States command and control procedures.

The exercise included airborne, air-mobile and amphibious assault, maritime, land and air manoeuvre, and significant maritime, ground and air activities. Approximately 21,500 U.S. personnel took part, of which several thousand came ashore into the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Most remained at sea as part of the Carrier Battle Group and Amphibious Ready Group. As part of a Combined Task Force (CTF) headed by Commander Seventh Fleet, forces from Independence (CV 62) Carrier Battle Group, an Amphibious Ready Group built around the New Orleans (LPH 11), III MEF, and the 11th MEU(SOC) worked with other US and Australian forces on a short-warning crisis-action scenario. The exercise implemented USCINCPAC's cooperative engagement strategy and demonstrated U.S.-Australian cooperation. Approximately 5,700 Australian Defence Force members participated from all of the Defence Army, Navy and Air Force Commands.

The local communities benefited from the income generated by the influx of military and non-military personnel concerned with participating in and covering the event. The ADF sourced supplies from the local communities to facilitate the exercise and maintain good commercial and community relations. It is difficult to estimate how much money will be spent; during the 1997 Tandem Thrust exercise in Australia, estimated expenditures were more than 10.5 million U.S. dollars for goods and services by U.S. ships alone during their port calls.

Operation Vigilant Sentinel was a response to Saddam Hussein advance of its military forces on the border with Kuwait. The United States deployed the 74th Air Control Squadron to Kuwait on August 24,

Operation Vigilant Sentinel was a response to Saddam Hussein advance of its military forces on the border with Kuwait. The United States deployed the 74th Air Control Squadron to Kuwait on August 24, 1995. The specific battle management functions the 74th Air Control Squadron and its counterparts performed included surveillance, data link management and weapons control. The deploying units were part of a ground theater air control system, consisting of a control reporting element and an air support operations center. The US then deployed 3,500 soldiers to Kuwait in October 1996 as a deterrent to further hostile Iraqi acts toward Kuwait following the expansion of the Iraqi no-fly zones.

Third Army/ARCENT provided command and control for a rapid deployment of a heavy brigade task force. Once more, Iraqi threats were decisively met while ARCENT simultaneously conducted a major training exercise in Egypt, codenamed "BRIGHT STAR 95," involving military forces from 6 other nations. This contingency operation validated critical procedures for deployment, particularly the off-loading of equipment from floating prepositioning ships and its distribution to arriving soldiers. The deployment of a "Fly-Away Package" of key contingency staff also validated procedures for a rapidly deployed command and control group able to conduct combat operations immediately upon arrival.

United States Navy and US Marine Corps combat forces (15th MEU) and active and reserve Military Sealift Command forces responded to Iraqi threats against Jordan and Kuwait. Maritime Pre-positioning Ship Squadron Two sortied from Diego Garcia with equipment for a 17,300-Marine combat force and remained on-station to provide rapid response capability.

Operation Vigilant Sentinel's response quickly convinced Saddam Hussein to withdraw his forces from the Kuwaiti border.