Photo By Staff Sgt. Angela Ohearn | A chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense officer, center, with U.S....... read more read more
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JOINT TRAINING CENTER, Jordan – Roughly 180 U.S. Army Central and Jordan Armed Forces – Arab Army soldiers came together to participate in Exercise Eager Light 2017, a command post exercise that enhanced military cooperation and interoperability Jan. 28 to Feb. 02 at the Joint Training Center in Jordan.
The USARCENT-led and Jordan-hosted exercise combined soldiers from U.S. Army 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division and the Jordanian King Hussein Bin Ali Brigade together to function as a single military element. The combined force coordinated and conducted simulated, urban-warfare operations.
“This year we’re concentrating on urban operations, border reinforcement and border control,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Derrick Mixon, the USARCENT deputy exercise director of Eager Light. “We’re looking at the region and what the Jordanians might possibly face in the future.”
Conceived in 1998, Eager Light aims to improve each forces’ capacity to plan and operate within their respective armies, as well as improve the forces’ ability to work together. Soldiers accomplish both goals by utilizing electronic systems to simulate a virtual battlefield and respond, together, to different scenarios.
“It’s not a scripted event,” said U.S. Army Col. Robert E. Lee Magee, commander of 3rd ABCT, 1st AD. “We work our systems and procedures, how we make decisions, how we gather intelligence and how we put that together in an operational construct on the battlefield.”
Magee said bilateral exercises like Eager Light make his Soldiers better.
“Because we continue to work with different countries with different techniques, it builds a better depth inside of my team and how we conduct coalition operations in support of USARCENT,” he said. “It also shows how well the entire USARCENT staff can think as a theater army in support of the entire U.S. Central Command area of operations.”
THE ORDER BRIEF
The brigade’s order brief was delivered before the exercise officially began. The brief summarized the commander’s intent and the concept of operations for Eager Light.
For the first time in this exercise’s history, the Jordanians modeled their delivery of the brigade order’s brief after a U.S. Army template.
“Usually, a brigade commander issued every aspect of the order,” Magee said. “In this exercise, they did something that would be very familiar to U.S. forces: subject matter experts briefed their piece of the order.”
The main benefit of this style is the thoroughness of the brief, Magee said.
Each subject matter expert briefed their portion of the order, using a large sand table as a visual guide. The sand table included tanks and army men, frozen in time, and strategically placed on the intricate battlespace. Tiny helicopters, strung on wire, hovered over miniature cities. Signs written in Arabic designated each fictitious location.
“The Jordanians are very willing to learn and share ideas,” Magee said. “There’s no preconceived notions on how the exercise is supposed to go.”
A VISIT FROM THE TOP
A few days into the exercise, Lt. Gen. Michael Garrett, USARCENT commander, checked in with the troops Jan. 29 and observed the major working parts of Eager Light.
“This is one of Garrett’s priorities,” Magee said. “These sort of exercises builds capacity and capability within our partners and allies here and allows us to assist in regional security and stability.”
Garrett visited the different sections of Eager Light, listened to briefings delivered by the exercises’ participants and asked several questions about the exercise’s progress.
Mixon, one of the key coordinators of Eager Light, said he appreciated Garrett’s visit.
“It means there’s visibility at the highest levels of USARCENT of what’s actually going on at the ground and where we’re moving forward in these exercises,” he said.
JORDANIAN HOSPITALITY
Toward the end of the exercise, U.S. and JAF soldiers filtered into a room of a dozen tables. On each table was Mansaf: a single, large tray of grains, beans, lamb and spices. The Jordanians were accustomed to this meal, as it is their country’s national dish, often reserved for special occasions.
For the U.S. personnel, however, a few key elements familiar to American culture were missing: chairs, individual plates and silverware.
“We don’t generally eat rice with our hands,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Yvette Lane-Rose, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense officer with USARCENT. “It’s not something you see back in the states. But, as the saying goes, ‘If you’re in Jordan, do as the Jordanians do.’”
The U.S Soldiers weren’t without teachers. Jordanian soldiers demonstrated various techniques for scooping rice with their fingers to their counterparts.
“Seeing everyone’s hands going into the same plate was a unique experience,’” Lane-Rose said with a smile. “But, the meal, in many ways, bridged a gap between the two armies. We came out here for an exercise and to interact on a professional level. The opportunity to share a meal put all ranks aside. Everyone got the chance to relax and enjoy the meal and the comradery.”
Lane-Rose said she was grateful for the newly formed friendships she developed at Eager Light and the bonds that were strengthen during the exercise.
The family-style luncheon was one of the several ways the Jordanians showed their hospitality and shared their culture with U.S. troops during Eager Light.
“Understanding an ally in this region of the world is very important,” Mixon said. “By knowing their culture, you understand how they operate. It builds a relationship and trust that can only be an asset in future operations.”
While the closing ceremony marked the end of the exercise, it was evident from the dancing, laughter and exchanges of patches and small tokens between the two armies at the exercise’s conclusion that the relationships formed would not end.
“This exercise illustrates the deep relationship between the Jordan army and USCENTCOM,” said Brig. Gen. Khaled Alshraa, the JAF joint training director. “I hope that we’re going to continue this distinguished relationship and this exercise in the future.”
| Date Taken: | 02.02.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.10.2017 03:03 |
| Story ID: | 223146 |
| Location: | JO |
| Web Views: | 145 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, U.S., Jordanian Troops Burn Together Brightly, by SSG Angela Ohearn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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