Greek officers plan for the future at Combined Resolve II

Photo By James Brown | Wolfgang Traub, a civilain on the battlefield (COB) specialist (right) shows Maj. Thomas Vouzonis (left) a model of an urban training site here May 28. Vouzonis is a member of the Greek Defense Force who was here to plan possible future training for the Greek Defense Force at the Joint Multinational Training Center. Combined Resolve II is a U.S. Army Europe-directed multinational exercise at the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas, including more than 4,000 participants from 15 allied and partner countries. The exercise features a combined arms battalion of the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, the U.S. Army's Regionally-Aligned rotational brigade combat team that supports the U.S. Army's Regionally-Aligned rotational brigade combat team that supports the U.S. European Command for training and contingency missions.  

BW, GERMANY

05.28.2014

Story by Sgt. 1st Class James Brown 

131st Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

HOHENFELS, Germany--The Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) has been hosting two important visitors during the Combined Resolve II exercise here in May. Maj. Thomas Vouzonis and Capt. Antonios Theologidis are the first delegates from the Greek Defense Force to visit the JMRC. They have been here looking at opportunities for future training.

"JMRC extended an invitation out to all the NATO countries and all the partner for peace countries here that participate either with training units or observers or anybody who wanted to come participate in Combined Resolve II," said Lt. Col. Bryan Schott, deputy senior fires trainer at JMRC. We are partnered geographically with Greece as one of our partnered countries, and that is who we liaison with. This first visit is really just to build a relationship and a face to face point of contact on the ground, someone that we can continue to communicate with. We hope in the future that we're able to have either Greek OCTs(observercoach-trainer) come back to JMRC or some force to be able to come and participate in one of these Combined Resolve exercises."

So far the Greek officers have liked what they have seen.

"We've been here to observe the exercise and see the benefits, and we all know that the benefits are integration between countries and interoperability," said Vouzonis. "We're observing the planning part and the execution part out their in the box… I highly recommend that we participate here. Here at JMRC training is very realistic. There's a big benefit. You're taking things other countries know and you’re passing them yours and the entire thing is that the integration gives you the best results."

Schott agreed in the importance of different countries working together during Combined Resolve.

"I think it's important too that if we look at the title of the exercise itself; it's Combined Resolve, and when we all work together it sends a message that there is a commitment for us all together to continue to train together," he said. “We can go to conferences; we can go to meetings, and those are all important to talk about interoperability and what we need to do, but this is where we test it."

According to Vouzonis, he was impressed with the flexibility of the training at JMRC.

"What I've found out is that an exercise like this is not a "we build it and this is it," he said. "According to the unit's weaknesses, according to the unit's demands, they can pull back, they can change it a little bit and make it suitable according to your needs and that's beautiful. If you're going to come here, you're going to have good training and you're going to get some improvement, soon. There is flexibility and that makes this center suitable for training."

Both Greek officers said that they hope Greek forces come back for training at JMRC.

"It's an interesting training set-up," said Theologidis. "I agree that we have to participate in the future, because it's an international training center and we have to coordinate with each other."

"I hope that Greece will participate in future Combined Resolve exercises," said Vouzonis. "That is going to be my recommendation."

• Date Taken: 05.28.2014
• Date Posted: 05.28.2014 11:05
• Story ID: 131311
• Location: BW, DE