Georgian-American ties change lives

Release Date: Aug 02, 2005

By Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Dwaine Roberts
Task Force Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program

TBILISI, Georgia — When Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili met U.S. President George Bush, the two men welcomed the ties between their two countries.

"America is proud to call Georgia our partner in freedom," Bush told a cheering crowd of more than 200,000 gathered in Freedom Square here May 10.

"Freedom has no better friend than those who have a fresh memory of tyranny," he added, speaking of Georgia's tumultuous history filled with revolution and occupation.

During the ensuing months after that meeting, many friendships and ties have developed between Georgian and American military members and civilian friends. Task Force Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program, or GSSOP, has some 70 military members working together to strengthen the resolve and professionalism of Georgia's military.

Consequently, some of the relationships have changed lives forever. One such relationship is between a Marine gunnery sergeant and a Georgian civilian who agreed on the ultimate tie — the tie of marriage.

"We met New Year's Eve in Tbilisi, and I didn't realize she actually worked at the GSSOP site," said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Nathan Guidry.

Guidry met Nino Lazishvilli, and the two began a two-year friendship which would lead to matrimony. Nino is from the Kobuleti Province, about 500 kilometers southwest of Tbilisi. Her father is the governor of Kobuleti, but that didn't dismay Guidry.

"After knowing Nino for nearly six months, I decided to ask for her hand in marriage. I really enjoy the character of the Georgian culture and people, and Nino really loves the American culture as well — we're sort of a natural team," said Guidry, who met Nino during a previsous 10-month long deployment here as part of the Georgian Train and Equipment Program.

Other task force members have also developed lasting relationships with their Georgian counterparts. One such tie is between the Navy medical officers and some of the Georgian doctors. The bounds became particularly transparent when one of the Georgian physicians was stricken with pneumonia and hospitalized.

"We have become friends with all of the Georgian Medical Platoon personnel, and just as anyone would visit a friend in the hospital to check on their health or try to lift their spirits, we did the same for our Georgian friend." said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Mark Schmidheiser.

The Georgian doctor has since recovered. During the GSSOP, the Georgian and American medical teams have worked together to prepare the 23rd Light Infantry Battalion's medical staff for possible emergencies including triage and emergency medical evacuations.

For one Marine here, the links have led to graphic tapestry and artistic expressions in the form of majestic tattoos. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Timothy Greenleaf is an avid tattoo artist.

"Several Georgian soldiers saw my USMC eagle, globe and anchor tattoo, and they were interested in getting something similar with the Georgian national flag and cross," Greenleaf said.

Greenleaf, who stressed that he normally does only the Marine emblem, says he broke with his own tradition and designed a tattoo specifically for the Georgian/Marine bond. He said he wanted to highlight the fact that Marines' have up close and personal interactions with Georgian military members during the combat infantry training.

"The tattoo design is a combination of the Georgian flag and the pride of the Marine Corps: our eagle, globe and anchor, which of course stands for the nation, our worldwide service and our sea duty traditions," explained Greenleaf, a brawny 6-foot tall veteran of 16 years.

Working in close proximity, many task force members have become somewhat fluent in the Georgian language and dialect. It is spoken regularly during training and during liberty hours when Marines tour the city together with their Georgian friends.

"I have been with my Georgian soldiers many times, visiting their homes and families, and it was very enjoyable," said Marine Cpl. Justin Allen. "We attend supras, which are the traditional dinners which most all Georgian's offer to their guests," added Allen, who also speaks Georgian.

"Garmarjoba!" Bush said to the Freedom Square gathering in May. His translated greeting of "hello" was returned by the thousands who stood in downtown Tbilisi. And hence, the American-Georgian ties have relied on the same friendly and forthcoming character and welcome that both countries have extended to one another.

The current GSSOP task force is composed primarily of Marine Corps infantry and small arms trainers, with a Navy emergency medical training team, Air Force communications technicians and Army visual communications and contracting personnel.

Overall, the task force's mission is to train the Georgian 23rd Light Infantry Battalion and other Georgian battalions that will join the rotation of Georgian infantry battalions serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The units currently in Iraq were sent to help provide security to the United Nations mission in Baghdad.

The GSSOP training includes infantry skills, peacekeeping duties, specialized engineering, logistics, reconnaissance, and signal skills training at the separate company or battalion levels, as well as command and control training at the brigade level and above. The 23rd Light Infantry Battalion is scheduled to graduate Aug. 13, and training for another unit begins in late August.

The GSSOP "ties" are scheduled to continue at least until the spring of 2006, when the GSSOP is slated to conclude.