Kainuu Brigade hosts US troops’ Northern Belt 23 exercise in June

Kainuu Brigade will host US troops’ Northern Belt 23 exercise in Kajaani and Vuosanka from June 2 to June 19, said Finnish Army in a press release on Monday.

A unit of 160 soldiers from the US 10th Mountain Division will participate in the exercise and a detachment of 180 persons from Kainuu Brigade consisting of personnel and conscripts.

The objective is to familiarize Kainuu Brigade’s personnel with executing the training of an allied country, develop the ability to execute joint training events and practise providing host unit support, as well as improve the personnel’s and conscripts’ language skills.

“International operations support the personnel’s and conscripts’ competence on both individual and force level, as well as strengthen national defence. Conscript training produces internationally acknowledged competence and interoperability, which is evaluated in the annual exercise activity – now for the first time with allied forces in Kainuu,” Director of the exercise, Lieutenant Colonel Arto Hirvelä said.

The US Division will arrive to Kajaani from Rovajärvi, where it will participate in the Army Academy directed exercises Lightning Strike 23 and Northern Forest 23.