United States Department of Defense

Exercise Cooperative Safeguard 97

News media representatives are invited to join U.S. joint military forces at Exercise Cooperative Safeguard 97, the first NATO/Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise to be held in Iceland. The exercise will train forces from five NATO and 12 PfP nations in disaster response techniques including search and rescue, communications and humanitarian relief from July 21 - 28, 1997. Appropriate to this exercise's military support to civil disaster relief scenario, the exercise will be directed by a civilian, the director of the Icelandic National Civil Defense. This will be the first PfP exercise directed by a civilian. Extraordinary photographic, video and interview opportunities will be available as these multinational forces train side-by-side in the skills associated with disaster relief.

Transportation for news media representatives to and from the exercise will be provided via military aircraft. The flight is scheduled to depart early evening July 23 from the U.S. Air Force passenger terminal at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., returning early afternoon July 27. Lodging for news media representatives will be available at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Iceland for a nominal charge. However, news media representatives should be prepared to support the cost of this trip in all respects should military air and lodging become unavailable after their arrival in Iceland.

For more information or to sign up, contact Cmdr. Joe March at (703) 697-1252.