Immediate Response 2008

According to United States European Command,

The 2008 exercise was reportedly conducted jointly by the USA and Georgian Armed Forces at the Vaziani Military Base between 15 July and 31 July. Planned by the United States European Command and financed by the U.S. Defense Department at a cost of $8 million. Georgian servicemen totalling 1,630 participated, including representatives of the Joint Staff, Land Forces Staff, IV Brigade, the 41st and 42nd Battalions and Engineer Battalion Company. From the USA, 1,000 military servicemen took part in the exercise including the United States Army Europe, 3rd Battalion 25th Marines, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Georgia Army National Guard (Atlanta, Georgia) and 5045th Garrison Support Unit. Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Ukraine each had 10 servicemen participating as well.

On July 21, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was personally present and addressed the servicemen, saying:

These exercises were held less than a month before the outbreak of the 2008 South Ossetia war. Almost concurrently, Russia conducted its own military exercises in the north Caucasus (including North Ossetia), called Caucasus Frontier 2008.