Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Chelsea Meiller
A U.S. Navy SEAL Team conducted a joint training exchange alongside the Nepali Army and members of the Nepali Army Special Operations Force (SOF) Brigade near Kathmandu, Nepal from October 30 to November 6, 2023
The two-week training exchange consisted of a week-long subject matter expert exchange (SMEE) and a week-long multilateral disaster response training.
The first week of the joint training included classroom instruction from Nepali Special Operators and instructors from the Nepali Army’s High Altitude Mountain Warfare School.
“Having the opportunity to learn from mountaineering experts trained in the largest mountain range in the world was an incredible and invaluable experience” said a U.S. Naval Warfare Special operator. “The Nepali Army SOF Brigade’s professionalism and expertise was unmatched.”
In addition to mountaineering tactics and training, NSW Operators shared combat medical and tactical scenario skills with the Nepali Army’s SOF Brigade
“The training was invaluable,” said one Nepali special operator. “We were able to learn so much from our friends in the partner force and the information exchange was an incredibly valuable asset for us all.”
During the second week of training, NSW Operators participated in 2023 Nepal Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange (DREE). Hosted by U.S. Army Pacific, the DREE saw multiple partner forces come together to participate in the disaster response exercise, including the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Mongolia, Thailand and Canada.
The DREE culminated in multiple field training exercises showcasing swift water and dive recovery, firefighting, mass casualty response, disaster response search and recovery and hazardous material decontamination.
U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) have a long-standing history of providing flexible, timely disaster response and relief to partner-nations in the region, and executing complex, realistic training exercises such as the DREE help to heighten mutual interoperability and enhance bilateral relations.
Training exchanges such as this benefit ally nations, help to synchronize special operations capabilities among partners and allies, and help build stronger multilateral coordination between the U.S., Nepal and other regional nations with a unified goal of humanitarian assistance during natural or man-made disasters.
Naval Special Warfare trains with forces worldwide to improve and further specialize skills required to conduct missions and respond to crises.
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