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    7ATC hosts U.S. Army Europe’s FY21 EDI Infrastructure Planning Workshop

    EDI workshop at Grafenwoehr

    Photo By Markus Rauchenberger | Participants engage in discussion during U.S. Army Europe’s FY21 European Deterrence...... read more read more

    GRAFENWOEHR, BY, GERMANY

    07.20.2020

    Story by Jessica Ryan 

    7th Army Training Command

    GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- To set the theater for ready, lethal and combat-credible forces, 7th Army Training Command’s Training Support Activity Europe hosted the U.S. Army Europe Fiscal Year 21 European Deterrence Initiative Infrastructure Planning workshop, July 16-17, in Grafenwoehr, Germany.

    The workshop was a forum for theater engineers and stakeholders to collaborate on the prioritization of FY21 infrastructure projects.

    “Training readiness is vital to ensuring U.S. military units maintain trained, ready, responsive and lethal combat-capable forces,” said Bobby Lightner, Deployable Range and Training Land Program specialist at TSAE.

    As one of U.S. Army Europe’s main efforts, setting the theater involves significant sustainment, force protection, engineering, communications and infrastructure development activities. For TSAE, one of 7th ATC’s directorates, being a provider of home-station, expeditionary, rotational and contingency training support across Europe makes the directorate a key player in planning and operations to support 7th ATC and U.S. Army Europe’s efforts to set the theater.

    “TSAE is centered on training support. In order to support training, there needs to be personnel, resources, equipment, ranges and training facilities,” said Lightner.

    Setting the theater enables the U.S. military, multinational partners and allies to strengthen readiness and interoperability. European Deterrence Initiative, or EDI, funds are used to repair, upgrade, modernize, or build new facilities on the host nation military land to support U.S. military presence and training to build and maintain that interoperability and readiness.

    For Lightner, the workshop was an opportunity to bring together stakeholders from across the theater. Attendees were able to expand their knowledge and understanding of training readiness requirements as the requirements related to the FY21 EDI project prioritization.

    “In order to deter aggression, we [those who support the warfighter] must provide world-class ranges and training facilities as well as life support facilities to withstand the capacity, needs, and requirements of U.S. forces training throughout the area of operations,” said Lightner.

    “We must support the warfighter with the full resources and backing of the U.S. military.”

    According to Dr. Michael Schaefer, deputy chief of staff for 7th ATC, enhancing training facilities across the theater, especially facilities where U.S. forces and multinational partners are training, is important for interoperability.

    “The persistent training environment is going to enable us, within the European Theater, to connect to our partners and allies across the entire theater.” said Schaefer, adding that this will ensure the U.S. forces are linked and connected with allies and partners across Europe in the future.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 07.20.2020
    Date Posted: 07.20.2020 11:40
    Story ID: 374219
    Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BY, DE

    Web Views: 192
    Downloads: 1

    PUBLIC DOMAIN