Photo By Staff Sgt. Edward Siguenza | A snow flurry drops on Spc. Lani Pascual, right, of the 69th Public Affairs...... read more read more
HOHENFELS, Germany – A six-member team from the California Army National Guard’s 69th Public Affairs Detachment braved cold, snow and the challenging terrain of “The Box” during one of U.S. Army Europe’s (USAREUR) major exercises held Jan. 16-Feb. 6.
The 69th spent nearly three weeks covering the exercise at the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels Training Area (JMRC-HTA). Almost every day of the exercise, PAD members trekked into a 40,000-acre training area made up of steep hills, forests and village sets, called “The Box,” where two opposing forces faced off in a combat scenario during Exercise Allied Spirit IV, a multinational training involving more than 2,400 troops from seven countries. The Soldiers of the 69th documented each day’s training events, and, like all participating units, endured sub-freezing temperatures, snow and mud. Line units were tested in their response to simulated tactical threats, while upper command was challenged with decision making and overall operation planning. Both levels were observed with coaches and trainers.
The 69th’s team of videographers and print journalists provided news stories of this fairly new event that keeps in line with USAREUR’s theme of “preparing forces in Europe to operate together by exercising tactical interoperability and testing secure communications with NATO Alliance members and partner nations.”
“While the 69th PAD was smaller than some of our other units — six personnel rather than eight — they did the work of a much larger team,” said Capt. Christopher B. Bradley, JMRC public affairs officer.
“They displayed an exceptional enthusiasm and professionalism during their entire training event. They got on the ground in Hohenfels and immediately understood the mission and key themes of our rotation. They also brought fresh eyes and ears to our mission, and helped craft some great stories to tell the unique message of JMRC as a world class venue for multinational training.”
Allied Spirit originated just last year. In cold, winter conditions, Allied Spirit IV engaged troops from the U.S., Italy, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Canada, Latvia and Germany in critical scenarios, such as conventional combat, guerilla attacks and dealing with refugees on the battlefield. The purpose of the exercise was to train high commands — brigade and battalion level leadership — for such scenarios on the real-world battlefield. The 69th was placed on active duty for operational support for this purpose.
“Allied Spirit was a unique opportunity for us to train in Germany alongside active duty and National Guard units in a large multinational exercise,” said Capt. Jason Sweeney, 69th commander. “Our team produced realworld print and video news reports about the exercise for U.S. Army Europe, and also supported the exercise as media role players. The realism of Allied Spirit allowed us to see how media and public perception can affect outcomes on the battlefield.”
California was one of five states that sent National Guard units to Exercise Allied Spirit IV, joining Michigan, Louisiana, Washington, D.C. and Ohio. Louisiana had the largest National Guard delegation with close to 130 Soldiers who were part of an opposing force (OPFOR) against rotational units. The Michigan National Guard partnered with Italy’s Garibaldi Brigade, which commanded the exercise.
“The National Guard is vital to U.S. Army Europe’s mission,” said Lt. Col. Walter R. Jones Jr., commander, JMRC’s Reserve Component Affairs Office (JMRC-RCAO). “California sent a small unit here but in our eyes, you tell a huge story about our training. Public affairs keeps the American people and the entire U.S. Army informed.”
Bradley added, “It's a priority for USAREUR to bring in National Guard and Reservists to support the U.S. Army mission in Europe. We can't do it without them. But this also allows us to provide a multifaceted training experience for a [continental United States] based PAD, which is potentially well outside their typical yearly training. So, we gain valuable stories, and the PADs are able to practice their full range of MOS skills, and many Soldier tasks while they are here.”
The 69th produced more than a dozen news stories and hundreds of photos that circulated through the USAREUR audience as well as back in the U.S.
“JMRC is a fantastic host,” Sweeney said. “We were set up for success with all the tools and support we needed for this mission. Not only did we participate in some great training, but we were also allowed the opportunity to visit Nuremberg and experience German culture, which all of us appreciated.”
Allied Spirit gave the Soldiers of the 69th an opportunity to meet various officials. They conducted interviews with Italian Brig. Gen. Claudio Minghetti, commander of the famous Garibaldi Brigade, and Armenian Maj. Gen. Gennady Tavaratsyan, chief of Armenia’s strategic planning department of the armed forces.
The 69th’s last major mission was in 2008-09 when it deployed to Kosovo. It previously participated in Peace Shield and Rapid Trident in Ukraine, which is California’s European partner under NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.
Allied Spirit promotes a notable cause, said Col. Clark C. Barrett, commander of NATO Rapid Deployment Corps-Hohenfels (NRDC-H), allowing NATO partners to train together and prepare for potential threats.
“Europe is experiencing lots of unanticipated change – economic crisis, refugee influx, etc., in the last few years. Some of that change has the potential to spark violence or humanitarian crises,” said Barrett. “When living together in a global community, we strengthen our security when we stand together.”
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2016 15:20 |
| Story ID: | 192201 |
| Location: | HOHENFELS, DE |
| Web Views: | 118 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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