Photo By Staff Sgt. Tinisha Mellein | Soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th...... read more read more
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HOHENFELS, Germany – More than 300 Soldiers representing four countries have officially wrapped up their mission rehearsal exercises at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, Nov. 5, 2018.
The exercises are tailored to their upcoming deployment to Kosovo. The Soldiers spent five days validating and training for different scenarios; including crowd and riot control training, fire phobia exercises, key leader engagement rehearsals, investigation procedures, neutralizing explosive devices, and mass casualty simulations.
“The training was realistic, and it was challenging,” said Col. Roy J. Macaraeg, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Commander. “It was some of the best training I’ve ever encountered throughout my military career.”
The units that participated are composed of active duty units, National Guard units, and NATO partnered and allied countries, they are as follows:
The 24th Self-propelled Artillery Regiment, Italian Army out of Peloritani, Sicily and Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), teams from Latvia and Kosovo;
The 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Kapolei, Hawaii, which served as headquarters for the KFOR25 exercise;
The 293rd Military Police Company out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, out of Fort Drum, New York, the 131 Field Hospital out of Fort Bliss, Texas, and the 720th EOD out of Baumholder, Germany.
Some of the Soldiers who trained at JMRC will deploy to Kosovo in support of Multinational Battle Group East Kosovo Force (KFOR). KFOR is a NATO-led international peacekeeping force, which is responsible for establishing a secure environment in Kosovo.
“Everything we did here is catered to what we might experience in Kosovo,” said 1st Lt. Andrew Ju, executive officer for Bravo Troop, 1-89 Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. “I think the training here is fantastic and extremely realistic so we are ready for what Kosovo has to offer.”
This will be the 20th year of the KFOR mission, which was launched in 1999 as a peace-support operation. As of today, approximately 4,000 troops provided by 28 countries help ensure that KFOR’s objectives are met.
“We are trained, we are ready and we are prepared for this mission,” said Macaraeg. “We’ve got a well-trained, well-equipped, and well-led unit here. I’m very confident that we are going to do well in Kosovo.”
Kosovo Force (KFOR) is currently deployed in the Balkans to maintain a safe and secure environment, freedom of movement for all citizens in Kosovo and to facilitate the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans. The United Nations, the European Union and other international actors continue to support the development of a stable, democratic, multi-ethnic and peaceful Kosovo.
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2018 04:02 |
| Story ID: | 299622 |
| Location: | HOHENFELS, DE |
| Web Views: | 400 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, KFOR 25 JMRC Validation Complete, by SSG Tinisha Mellein, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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