KFOR mission rehearsal exercise offers standardized approach to threats

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

11.02.2020

Story by Sgt. Amanda Fry 

Joint Multinational Readiness Center

HOHENFELS, Germany - US and multinational forces gathered at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center for a mission rehearsal exercise to hone the skills of the battle group headquarters prior to deployment to Kosovo.

KFOR training ranges from crowd riot control (CRC) and communications, to realistic scenarios requiring soldiers to communicate with role players in the field. The training also includes classes on the recognition of an IED.

Joe Stojak, the site lead for JMRC’s Threat Mitigation Training Team, said that his team is focused on assessing common threats in the field so that they can properly prepare soldiers during their training.

“We are mostly focused on emerging threats, and as the operational battlefield and what the soldiers need to be prepared for changes,” Stojak said. “We are trying to stay ahead of that and ensure that the training that the soldiers receive is relevant and on par with those ever-changing requirements out on the battlefield.”

In preparation for KFOR 28, Stojak said one aspect of training focused on the recognition of IED’s. Recognition of potential IED’s, as well as how to react to the threat and report the incident up the chain of command, are all part of the training soldiers will receive at JMRC.

A key part of the training is to help soldiers recognize exactly what an IED is, and know the many ways that the devices can be disguised and planted.

“Soldiers don’t know what they don’t know,” Stojak said. “If they don’t know what they are looking for, that is the first point that is important. The reaction portion of the training allows soldiers to react in a real-world scenario where they can also report the incident to their chain of command.”

Additionally, Stojak noted the importance of multinational training, as it offers the chance to provide a standardized method for U.S. forces and NATO partners in reacting to threats and issues as they arise.

“Any time U.S. forces or any NATO allies are working together, there has to be a standardized format, or standardized procedures they will follow, especially when it comes to explosive hazards. So we are trying to provide that standard here and ensure that there is interoperability amongst the different nations that come here and train together.”

• Date Taken: 11.02.2020
• Date Posted: 11.02.2020 10:25
• Story ID: 382181
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE