US hails TDM's jungle warfare expertise

TEMERLOH: The capability and experience of the Malaysian Army (TDM) in handling jungle warfare is among the factors which has attracted the United States Army Pacific (Usarpac) to hold joint exercises with Malaysia the past 21 years.
TDM Fourth Mechanised Brigade commander Brig Gen Datuk Md Din Abu said the latest Keris Strike Series 21/2017 exercise was a 12-day programme between the two countries involving 379 Usarpac personnel based in Hawaii and 456 TDM staff.
"The joint exercise which began in 1996 will be held at three locations in Pahang namely Batu Tiga Camp in Temerloh, Batu Lima Camp in Mentakab and Kemasul forest reserve here involving the deployment of Black Hawk helicopters.
"TDM will give exposure to jungle operations with emphasis on rescue and humanitarian missions in a flood scenario," he told a media conference after the launching of the exercise at Batu Lima Camp in Mentakab here today.
The exercise was launched TDM Division 3 commander Maj Gen Datuk Hasagaya Abdullah.
The US representative was Col Farin D. Schwartz, Commander of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team. — Bernama