Tactical and technical exercises with the Portuguese army in Badajoz

Portuguese soldiers in the tank simulator (Photo: BRIMZ XI)

Activity during the combat casualty care course (Photo: BRIMZ XI)

A group of 24 soldiers from the Mechanised Infantry Regiment “Santa Margarida”, based in Santa Margarida da Coutada (Portugal), took part in several tactical and technical exercises at the HQ of the 11th Mechanised Infantry Brigade “Extremadura” in Bótoa (Badajoz) from 14 to 18 September.

Five officers, nine NCOs and ten troop soldiers from the Portuguese Army attended several driving and shooting courses as part of the training of the Portuguese unit at both crew and section level. That training included combat preparation, tactical movement and shooting techniques.

The exercises were organised by the 16th Mechanised Infantry Regiment “Castilla” together with the 3rd Section of the Brigade HQ and were carried out in a Leopard 2E5 tank simulator. In addition, a visit to the Regiment’s workshop was organised to observe in situ the corrective and preventive maintenance of the tanks.

Combat casualty care course

On the other hand, and in preparation for the forthcoming deployment of two contingents of the Brigade in the Mali and Iraq missions, non-medical personnel were trained on combat casualty care at the “General Menacho” base from 15 to 17 September.

Five military instructors trained 25 students in the skills necessary to reduce morbimortality and increase rates of pre-hospital survival in military operations. In effect, in real life situations it is often the combatants themselves who first provide medical care.