The Caguairan Operation, a defense effort started in Cuba in mid-2006 to enhance the island’s mobilization capacity and troop readiness, successfully continues in the territory of the Western Army, said Raul Castro, Cuba’s first vice president and Defense minister, on Sunday.
Likewise, the operation is experiencing similar results in the remaining territories of the country, added Raul Castro.
“The Western Army, as well as the rest of the Armed Forces […] has fully earned a grade of excellence,” said Raul at the closing of the Military Council meeting.
Alvaro Lopez Miera, vice minister and the Revolutionary Armed Forces Chief of Staff, had earlier noted that the changes introduced put into practice new procedures that guarantee a greater combat capacity and readiness of reserves and militia members, as well as accurate and steady information on their composition.
Army Corp General Leopoldo Cintra Firas, chief of the Western Army, said that the Caguairan Operation demonstrated the excellent response of mobilized troops, who have overwhelmingly responded to enlistment with high readiness, discipline, and interest in the fulfillment of their tasks.
Pedro Saez, president of the Provincial Defense Council for the City of Havana, said that the Caguairan Operation has boosted the mobilization and combat readiness of the command and control centers, placing the territory in a better situation to successfully repel any enemy aggression.
The council made an appraisal of the diverse and complex missions undertaken by the Western Army and its various structures within the territorial defense system in the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Havana, Havana City and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud during 2006.
Among the important results cited for 2006 were: the assimilation of modernized means of combat, the structural and functional improvement of the army, the qualitative improvement of troops and the increase in readiness capacity of the regular troops and the territorial troops militia, particularly with respect to their officers’ staff.
Progress was also made in the engineering conditioning of the military operational field, in the task of Civil Defense, logistics and the establishment of cooperation among the territorial defense structures and mass organizations.
The council also made an assessment of the material reserves after a presentation by Brigade General Moises Sio Wong, president of the National Institute of State Reserves.
Elizabeth Camara and Olga Lidia Tapia, presidents of the Defense Councils of the Isla de la Juventud and Pinar del Rio respectively, briefed the council about the situation in their territories.
Army General Raul Castro concluded the council by congratulating members from the various Defense Councils under the command of the Western Army for their work in 2006, and particularly for their participation in the Caguairan Operation.
The Military Council was also attended by Political Bureau members Ricardo Alarcon, Carlos Lage and Esteban Lazo, as well as Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and high ranking officers of the Armed Forces Ministry.
Source: Granma
