Courtesy Photo | Soldiers assigned to the 416th Theater Engineer Command conduct a commanders update...... read more read more
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Grafenwoehr, Germany – The 416th Theater Engineer Command (TEC) mobilized 50 Soldiers from across the United States, primarily from the Chicago, Illinois area, to participate in the Avenger Triad 25 exercise. This marks the third consecutive year the 416th TEC has supported the Avenger Triad exercise, and the first time the unit has operated its full contingency command post as a forward command and control element.
“The 416th TEC is focused on the five engineer support functions of mobility, counter mobility, survivability, geospatial and general engineering,” said Maj. Gen. James Kokaska, the 416 TEC commanding general. “The 416th TEC provides trained and ready Army Reserve soldiers to the large-scale combat operations fight. We are a learning organization and Avenger Triad has provided us with the opportunity to work alongside the great team from U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF), and NATO-Land Command.”
The primary objectives for the 416th TEC during Avenger Triad 25 include demonstrating the unit's role as the senior engineer headquarters, overseeing contingency engineering, and tactically employing the contingency command post. The exercise uniquely integrates reserve components at the initial stages of crisis response, showcasing the critical roles of engineering, military police, and logistics throughout all phases of an operation.
Collaboration has been a cornerstone of the 416th TEC's experience at Avenger Triad 25. The unit has worked closely with active-duty forces, civilian agencies, NATO partners, and other U.S. Army Reserve components.
“Some of the most valuable experiences come from working with our NATO partners, seeing their capabilities and operating as a combined force,” explained Col. Jeffrey Jones, the contingency command post chief for 416 TEC. “This is the third year we’ve worked alongside the 200th Military Police Command and we continue to build those solid working relationships. “
The Army Reserve plays a vital role in "setting the theater" for the Joint Force, and the 416th TEC's efforts in Grafenwoehr exemplify this capability. “Every U.S. Corps in Avenger Triad 25 has U.S. Army Reserve units templated into their exercise task organization,” said Col. Jones. “The Army Reserve plays an important part in winning during large scale combat operations.”
The 416 TEC fully exercised their doctrinal role as the theater engineer, with Maj. Gen. James Kokaska working in a dual role capacity as the theater engineer and commander of the 416 TEC. The contingency command post operated as a forward headquarters providing command and control over two tactical engineer brigades. The 416th TEC contingency command post is a deployable headquarters designed to provide mission command of tailored engineer forces including allied/coalition engineer forces.
The lessons learned and experiences gained during Avenger Triad 25 will inform the 416 TEC's future training and readiness. “We will use this experience to validate our battle drills and staff processes, focusing on large-scale combat operations in the modern battlefield,” said Col. Jones.
“The opportunity to train alongside the same NATO allies we would join with in a crisis response operation in Europe is invaluable. Combining that with the internal experience gained working through difficult scenario based sets, and reps as a two-star division headquarters integrated with the USAREUR-AF team marks Avenger Triad as the pinnacle training event for our headquarters this year.”
As the 416th TEC continues to strengthen its capabilities and relationships within the Joint Force and NATO, its participation in exercises like Avenger Triad 25 underscores the essential role of the Army Reserve in ensuring mission success in large-scale conflicts.
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.03.2025 06:27 |
| Story ID: | 550626 |
| Location: | GRAFENWOEHR, DE |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Title: 416th Theater Engineer Command Enhances Readiness at Avenger Triad 25, by MAJ Aaron Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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