Immediate Response 2008

According to United States European Command, Immediate Response is an annual, bilateral security cooperation exercise conducted between U.S. and NATO and coalition partners.

[2] Planned by the United States European Command and financed by the U.S. Defense Department at a cost of $8 million.

From the USA, 1,000 military servicemen took part in the exercise including the United States Army Europe, 3rd Battalion 25th Marines, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Georgia Army National Guard (Atlanta, Georgia) and 5045th Garrison Support Unit.

This international exercise is a unique case as we have the possibility to hold trainings along with the representatives of the best army in the world for a month.

The main thing is to get acquainted with independent decision-making and free thinking.”[2] These exercises were held less than a month before the outbreak of the 2008 South Ossetia war.