Combined Resolve 17 Comes to a Close

Photo By Cpl. Uriel Ramirez | Two soldiers from the Czech Republic, assigned to the 72nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, provide security during a mine clearing exercise during during Exercise Combined Resolve 17 at Hohenfels Training Area, Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, June 8, 2022. Combined Resolve 17 is a U.S. Army exercise consisting of 5,600 service members, allies, and partners from more than 10 countries, and is designed to assess units’ abilities to conduct combat operations effectively in a multi-domain battle-space. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Uriel Ramirez)  

BY, GERMANY

06.15.2022

Story by Staff Sgt. Ashley Low 

7th Army Training Command

HOHENFELS, Germany – Nearly 5,600 troops from 11 Allied and partner nations trained to win during exercise Combined Resolve 17 (CbR) at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, May 20 to June 19, 2022.

Combined Resolve is recurring multinational exercise conducted by the 7th Army Training Command’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) and is designed to test and certify brigade combat teams, as well as build interoperability with Allies and partners.

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division’s (1/3 ID) was the unit in the spotlight for assessment of their ability to conduct operations alongside allied countries and units in a complex, multi-domain simulated battlespace.

“Combined Resolve was a tremendous opportunity for our brigade,” said Maj. Joe Baumann, 1/3 ID brigade operations officer. “It provided us the opportunity to exercise, improve and validate our systems.”

Baumann said the value of increasing the brigade’s interoperability and strengthening their relationships with multinational partners could not be understated.

Poland’s 18th Mechanized Division was the Higher Control (HICON) for the exercise, and its commander echoed Baumann’s sentiments.

"CbR provided valuable training for our Soldiers and gave Allies and partners an opportunity work together as a team," said Maj. Gen. Jarosław Gromadziński, 18th Mechanized Division commander. "Interoperability among countries is more than just equipment and processes - it is about relationships as well. We work stronger when we're together."

This year, for the first time, the exercise included experiments and testing involving ground robotics and autonomy as part of Army modernization efforts, provided by the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command.

“The highlight of Combined Resolve, for us, was getting feedback from multiple perspectives on the future use of autonomy and robotics in the European theater,” said Dr. Shawn Coleman, DEVCOM Science and Technology Advisor to USAREUR-AF. “Soldiers were able to provide input on technical design and tactics, while leadership provided feedback on desired implementation. We were even able to get international feedback for technical and operational interoperability of unmanned ground vehicles.”

Additional U.S. units participating in CbR included the 1st Air Cavalry Bde., 1st Cav. Div., from Fort Hood, Texas, who has been in theater on a rotational deployment since November 2021 in support of Atlantic Resolve; U.S. Army Reserve detachments; as well as the European-based 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sust. Bde., 21st Theater Sustainment Command.

Combined Resolve Allies and partners included Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Lithuania, Moldova, North Macedonia, and Poland.

The Raiders of 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division head back to Fort Stewart, Georgia, at the conclusion of the exercise, “Raider Ready.”

“I’m extremely proud of the brigade’s effort, from the brigade staff down to the squad level, in certifying our lethality and readiness to win,” Maj. Baumann said.

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• Date Taken: 06.15.2022
• Date Posted: 06.15.2022 11:01
• Story ID: 423024
• Location: BY, DE