DOWNEY – Chief Hospital Corpsman and Downey native Roberto Flores, assigned to the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) is currently participating in exercise BALTOPS 17, the premier annual maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region and one of the largest exercises in Northern Europe.
BALTOPS is an opportunity to offer high end training for Allies and Partner Nations from across the region in order to reassure and demonstrate NATO's long term commitment to security in the Baltic Region.
BALTOPS 2017 is the 45th iteration of this highly successful exercise series and showcases NATO’s superior joint and combined capabilities in the Baltic Sea region.
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“A big part of the medical readiness of the Sailors and Marines on board falls on us here at medical,” said Flores. “We’re ready to keep our crew in the fight!”
Participants in this multinational, maritime exercise create and sustain partnerships and practice a broad range of mission areas to strengthen the capabilities of the participating units. BALTOPS flexes maritime, ground and air forces in order to strengthen their ability to operate as a cohesive joint and combined force and respond to emerging crisis.
The exercise involves 4,000 shipboard personnel, 50 ships and submarines and more than 50 aircraft.
Fourteen countries are participating in BALTOPS this year including Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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BALTOPS is an opportunity to offer high end training for Allies and Partner Nations from across the region in order to reassure and demonstrate NATO's long term commitment to security in the Baltic Region.
BALTOPS, which began in 1972, continues to be an excellent opportunity for NATO and regional partners to strengthen interoperability through a series of combined tactical maneuvers and scenarios.