After a laborious 14 weeks of training, Soldiers with the Jordan Armed Forces’ 4th Royal Guard Mechanized Battalion graduated from the Jordanian Operational Engagement Program July 9, 2020. Since March, Soldiers of Task Force Spartan, led by the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division, have taken part in two separate rotations of the JOEP’s training, as well as a JOEP Instructor Training Course (ITC). Currently, The Illinois Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, is conducting the training, with Task Force Spartan – Jordan, providing oversight and maintaining situational awareness of the program.
The rigorous JOEP 14-week training program focuses on everything from individual rifle marksmanship to advanced company-sized maneuvers, while the ITC selects previous graduates and molds them into future JOEP trainers. The courses enable a strong partnership between the U.S. and Jordan Armed Forces, helping to increase the readiness of the Jordanian forces, as well as develop professional and competent Jordanian instructors who will go forward to lead the JOEP training.
Engagement Program (JOEP) graduation ceremony July 9.
More than 100 Soldiers took part in the training and the program graduation ceremony where graduating Soldiers received a certificate formalizing their completion of training and providing them something to celebrate their time with their partners from the 2-130th Infantry. Key leaders representing the JAF were Staff Gen. Khaleel Aldajah, Col. Raad Alamarah, Col. Khalid Alawaisheh, and Lt. Col. Osama Abu Alamash. The U.S. Army is in Jordan to partner with the Jordan Armed Forces in meeting common security challenges in the Middle East. Jordan is not only one of U.S.’s closest allies in the region, but in the world.
