Germany marked present during Combined Endeavor 11

Photo By Staff Sgt. Shawnon Lott | Lt. Col. Michael Mecke, German air force, briefs visiting German units about the role Germany plays throughout Combined Endeavor 11 in Grafenwohr, Germany, Sept. 13, 2011. Combined Endeavor is the largest Theater Security Cooperation communications exercise in the world, combining 40 different countries from NATO, Partnership for Peace, and strategic partners.  

GRAFENWOEHR, BW, GERMANY

09.13.2011

Story by Sgt. Brian Rodan 

Combined Endeavor

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany-- Germany is among the 40 nations that are participating in Combined Endeavor a multinational exercise, Sept. 9-22, 2011.

The goal of the exercise is to improve North American and European military communications, and computer network inter-connectivity to help nations partner together in responding to regional crisis or disaster.

Lt. Col. Michael Mecke, German delegation chief, said Combined Endeavor gives Germany the opportunity to prepare ourselves to work in coalition networks. Besides the technical part there's also the human interoperability which we find friends and meet them here during Combined Endeavor.

The exercise gives nations the opportunity to train and practice setting up coalition networks that may benefit them in the future.

“Combined Endeavor lets us setup coalition networks that we want to setup for real in the next couple of years,” said Mecke. “So what we do this year is what we are going to do in reality in the next year in the European battle group exercise,” he said.

Nations that have previously participated in Combined Endeavor claim their experiences during the exercise benefit them in the present and in the past.

“You develop more skills and learn a wide use of networks and equipment. Previous experiences here helped us in missions that we performed while deployed to Afghanistan,” said Mecke.

While working with other nations in a coalition environment like Combined Endeavor you create friendships and bonds that will benefit you in the future.

Mecke said its been very very friendly working with other nations, "To give you an example Saturday we had a disaster when a storm hit us and it didn't only hit us, it hit other nations and we helped each other through the storm."

“It's superb working together and a superb working environment everyone helps each other, we work together, and we get things fixed that you can't do unless your located closer together like at Combined Endeavor,” said Mecke.

• Date Taken: 09.13.2011
• Date Posted: 09.13.2011 10:11
• Story ID: 76944
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BW, DE