The then-U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John F. Tefft addresses the Georgian graduates of the GSSOP II Program. June 17, 2007.

The Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program (GSSOP) was a security assistance program designed to create an increased capability in the Georgian military to support Operation Iraqi Freedom stability missions. Launched in January 2005, GSSOP was also designed to help solidify the progress made during the Georgia Train and Equip Program (GTEP) of 2002–2004 and continue to assist in the implementation of western standards in the Georgian armed forces.[1]

The first phase of the program (GSSOP-I) lasted about 18 months and cost approximately $60 million. It ended in October 2006 to be succeeded by GSSOP-II, which lasted until June 2007. The training was conducted, primarily at the Krtsanisi National Training Centre near Tbilisi, by the United States Army Special Forces and United States Marine Corps Forces, Europe. The beneficiaries were the 22nd,[2] 23rd,[2] 31st,[3] 32nd[4] and 33rd[5] Light Infantry Battalions, logistic battalions of the 1st,[6] 2nd,[6] and 3rd[7] Infantry Brigades, the reconnaissance companies of the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Brigades,[5] communication companies of the 2nd and 3rd Brigades,[8] and an independent military police company.[9]

On August 31, 2009, the U.S. and Georgia inaugurated the Georgia Deployment Program—International Security Assistance Force (GDP—ISAF) In order to prepare the Georgian units for deployment in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force.[10] Originally planned as a two-year engagement, the success of past missions has extended the pairing as the Georgia Deployment Program—Resolute Support Mission (GDP—RSM) into 2020.[11]

References

  1. ^ Republic of Georgia puts her best into Iraq fight Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine. U.S. European Command. September 01, 2005
  2. ^ a b 22nd Battalion Graduate SSOP Training. Ministry of Defense of Georgia. December 19, 2005
  3. ^ 31st Battalion leaves for Iraq. Ministry of Defense of Georgia. October 27, 2006
  4. ^ 32nd Battalion Completed SSOP Program. Ministry of Defense of Georgia. April 14, 2007
  5. ^ a b Two Units of the III Brigade Graduate SSOP Program. Ministry of Defense of Georgia. December 21, 2006
  6. ^ a b Logistics Battalions Complete SSOP. Ministry of Defense of Georgia. March 24, 2006
  7. ^ Completion of the Training Course. Ministry of Defense of Georgia December 14, 2007
  8. ^ Solemn Ceremony at Krtsanisi National Training Center. Ministry of Defense of Georgia. June 15, 2007
  9. ^ Military Police Company Trained under SSOP. Ministry of Defense of Georgia. September 1, 2006
  10. ^ Georgia Deployment Program International Security Assistance Force Archived 2013-05-23 at the Wayback Machine. U.S. European Command. Accessed on July 2, 2013
  11. ^ Johnson, Dallas (21 August 2017). "6th ANGLICO Marines and Georgian soldiers prepare for deployment in support of Operation Freedom's sentinel". The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
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