YROW in action: Marine Reservist plays pivotal role in international non-lethal weapons training
By Lt Col Ann Peru Knabe CIOR Public Affairs

Mobilization was the last thing Capt Roberto Rodriguez (USMC) expected when he entered the Individual Ready Reserve after leaving active duty. But his unique skill set filled a void, and he was activated to serve with the Marine Forces Europe Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Detachment in 2006.

Currently stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, as the Watch Commander in charge of the Operations Center and Guard Force, Captain Rodriguez also participated in the 2007 YROW program in Riga, Latvia. The Reservist has extensive experience working with NATO countries, and training PfP countries in non-lethal weapons.

Captain Rodriguez’s mobilization to Germany doesn’t keep him in one spot. As one of the world’s top experts in non-lethal weapons, his skills are highly valued. The reservist from Illinois recently returned from temporary duty in the Republic of Georgia where he trained the Georgian Army’s 22nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, in infantry tactics, techniques and procedures.

“The Georgian soldiers came directly from basic training, and we taught them advanced infantry tactics like land navigation through cross country movements,” said the Marine, who served as the deputy commander for 53 Georgian soldiers in the partnership for peace (PfP) country which is trying to gain NATO status. “I also demonstrated marksmanship and ways to accurately deliver fire on enemies and place enemies in tactical dilemmas.”

During his seven months of temporary duty, Captain Rodriguez taught the Georgian soldiers assault by fire and close combat urban ground techniques, Marine Corps martial arts and radio communications.

Although the Reservist already knew Spanish, German and English, it didn’t help him learn the Georgian Kartulilanguage any quicker. He chose to work on key words and phrases, communicating mostly through interpreters.

“Even though we had 36 interpreters assigned to us to help us translate, it was still extremely difficult to accurately interpret meanings,” he said. “I was constantly worried that meanings were getting lost in translation. The Georgian officers weren’t used to the level of detail and information they were responsible for understanding and learning. It was a real eye-opener for them to really grasp their responsibility as officers to lead their troops.”  

Captain Rodriguez found the most fascinating part of the Georgian Army to be their “rich warrior culture” dating back hundreds of years. More recently, in 1991, the country declared independence from the USSR and elected its first president.

“It’s engrained in their self-perception – they see themselves as warriors, and when we talk, they frequently refer to examples of Georgian warriors from six or seven centuries ago.”

The Marine Reservist said his experience was one of the “best-supported” military missions he ever served on.

“We gave them (Georgian soldiers) everything from rocket-propelled grenades for training, to underwear,” he said, explaining the level of support and interest invested in the former Soviet state. “We even supplied them with artillery simulators to test their immediate action drills to incoming fire. It was a terrific experience for the soldiers and for me.”

Captain Rodriguez said the best part of his mission in Georgia was to spread the Marine Corps “warrior ethos.”

“It also gave me the opportunity to interact with a new cultural group and show them that Americans are people who love diversity and love to help others, not just protect themselves. 

Captain Rodriguez joined the Marine Corps after a short stint in the Navy. He comes from a military family; his grandfather served in World War II, his father was a green beret in Vietnam, his oldest brother served in the Air Force, and his other two brothers are Marines.  

Having trained hundreds of international forces around the world, the Reservist is one of the military’s top non-lethal weapons trainers. A graduate of the United Kingdom’s Public Orders School, Captain Rodriguez served as a consultant for the development of the Israeli standard operating procedures on non-lethal weapons. He was also the lead planner for EUCOM 2007 non-lethal weapons summit and capability exercise, which included participation from 23 different countries. He also taught Ukrainian, Georgian, Moldovian and Macedonian soldiers in non-lethal weapons and techniques during Exercise Sea Breeze.

He feels the NATO and PfP partnerships remain key to stability in today’s terse geopolitical climate.

“These multinational partnerships strengthen relationships and tie cultures and people together into one cohesive group,” he explained. “Now when Georgian officers watch TV and sees U.S. Marines or other Americans fighting somewhere, they might think ‘I wonder if Captain Rodriguez is OK?’ I’ve made lifelong friends and hope I’ve helped create a positive perception of who Americans really are.”