22 June 2017

Representatives from 5+5 Defense countries visit Special Operations Exercise SOCCEX 17 in Spain

11 officers from different member countries of the 5+5 Defense Initiative visited the Command Post deployed as Special Operations Component Command (SOCC) for the NATO Response Force (NRF) 2018 in the Base Jaime I in Bétera (Valencia).

22nd June 17

Exercise SOCCEX-17 aimed to train, on the one side, the Spanish national element in the deployed Special Operations Component Command (SOCC) in the conduct of special operations that may be assigned to the NATO Response Force and on the other side, to certify the Support Unit to the SOCC HQ through the evaluation and validation of the procedures for the integration of subordinate units.

During the exercise, 11 observers from 5+5 countries (Algeria, Italy, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal and Tunisia) were welcomed by the SOCC Commander, Division General Jaime Iniguez Andrade, and were shown and explained the different parts of the SOCC and Support Unit. The 5+5 visitors could verify and comment with the Spanish personnel in the exercise, the capabilities offeres by the SOCC to the NATO Response Force.

The SOCC HQ had been deployed for the exercise, from Madrid to the military base Jaime I in Bétera, Valencia. The military activity for the 5+5 observers was complemented with a touristic visit to the wonderful city of Valencia. The overall activity is another sign for the commitment of the Spanish Ministry of Defence with the 5+5 Initiative and its promotion of security and strategic partnership in the Western Mediterranean.