NATO Force Integration Units play pivotal role in Iron Wolf

Photo By 1st Lt. Zachary West | Graphic indicating forces and involvement in NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Lithuania 2017. eFPs demonstrates the Alliance's determination and ability to act as one in response to any aggression against its members. (NATO/RELEASED)  

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA

06.14.2017

Story by Sgt. Mark Otte 

100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

VILNIUS, Lithuania—During the opening of exercise Iron Wolf 17 a small group of NATO troops worked behind the scenes, paving the way for more than 2000 troops to be moved into the area and integrated into operations with other allied and partnered countries.

No nation can confront today’s challenges alone. With stability unpredictable in the Baltic States, at the 2014 Wales Summit the North Atlantic Council established eight NATO Force Integration Units, stationed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

The newly established NFIUs—charged with the rapid deployment of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force—can support incoming units with logistical plans and infrastructure that offer support and speed for the spearhead of a NATO Force response to real and potential threats to host nations.

Each of the six NFIUs is composed of approximately 40 soldiers, with roughly 50 percent of those troops coming from the host nation. It’s this composition that Col. Jakob Larsen, commander of the Lithuanian NFIU, said gives his unit the ability to work so closely with the military and civil authorities of Lithuania.

“Because we are 50 percent Lithuanians, we have very clear communications, we work together everyday,” Larsen said. “With my deputy, who is Lithuanian, and I, all we need to do is look at each other and we know exactly what the other needs or wants.”

By 2016 security in the region was still unpredictable, but the commitment of NATO countries to stand together is unwavering. The North Atlantic Council then created the Enhanced Forward Presence Battle groups, well equipped with main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. The quick responding units can be in country fully integrated within a host nation Brigade within 48 hours.

“The idea with the alliance is collective defense,” Larsen said about the development of the Enhanced Forward Presence battle groups. “We don’t want a conflict, but we have a neighbor who is not acting in a predictable way and it concerns us.”

Larsen went on to say that NATO’s collective response to the growing unease was deliberately transparent. That transparency, he said, was indented to show the resolve of the nations to stand together.

“NATO’s mission is not a standalone mission. We are not only working hand in hand with the Americans for Iron Wolf but also with the host nation.” Larsen said. “I think it is important that you are transparent and predictable [when you do exercises] so that your neighbors will not be concerned about what you do.”

Exercise Blo17, a U.S. Army Europe led exercise, is designed to enhance NATO relationships as a proving ground for the newly constituted NFIUs. The exercise involving 20 countries and over 11,000 service members promotes regional stability and security while strengthening partner capabilities.

American Forces have leaned heavily on the NFIUs, allowing them to flex their logistical muscles during the operation. According to Maj. Timothy Culler, the intelligence officer for the 1st Sustainment Brigade 1st Infantry Division, the results of that partnership proved that the 40 soldiers of the NFIU are a force multiplier for any partner nation coming to Lithuania.

“When US Forces come here, we are NATO, and not U.S. Forces with NATO,” Culler said “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel, all we have to do when we get here is plug into the NFIU.”

With much of the heavy lifting for logistical information being done by the NFIU, Culler said that the information flow had been a two-way street with American Forces and other partner nations sharing their lessons learned at Iron Wolf 17 with the NFIU.

“We are sharing everything we have with the NFIU, so that when soldiers come to Lithuania in the future, they don’t need to talk to us. The NFIU will have everything we learned.” Culler said.

The addition of the NFIU to NATO and its increasing ability to respond to any crisis with speed and power is a clear reminder of the resolve the alliance has to protecting every partnered nation. As with Iron Wolf 17, the combined training opportunities that it provides greatly improves interoperability among participating NATO Allies and key regional partners.
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• Date Taken: 06.14.2017
• Date Posted: 06.14.2017 10:58
• Story ID: 237826
• Location: VILNIUS, LT