CINCU, Romania -- Decisions about military information, communications, supplies and transportation are made at the command post. As reports and notifications fly in, the exercise director and his supporting team must decide who does what, and when they do it. Training is necessary for all parts to be successful.
At the Romanian Land Forces Combat Training Center in Cincu, Romanian officers are cross-training with officers from Bulgaria, Ukraine and the U.S. to develop and improve communications and procedures during a command post exercise, July 30.
“This is the first time for MND-SE to work in a multinational environment,” said Lt. Col. Cristian Dan, the Romanian exercise commander with MND-SE Headquarters.
MND-SE is a young organization that was activated in December 2015 to provide coordination among nations, which is crucial for understanding different systems and ways of doing things. Dan said it is necessary to have a common operating picture to be successful in the field, and adapting to the differences makes the mission run smoother.
“Having an integrated battle rhythm, common standard operating procedures, and language, while understanding the environment then responding and reacting to whatever the enemy brings to us makes the exercise great,” said Dan.
Cooperation between allies is essential along with communication and cultural understanding for interoperability.
“It doesn’t matter where [the teams] come from,” Dan said. “It brings new insight to understand better, not to be subjective on one subject, and helps you to find the best solution.”
Using a unified structure, taking the information, and putting it into action is key to success and security. During the exercise, soldiers from Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and the U.S. worked on fine-tuning a few procedural differences.
“Intelligence is crucial; it’s where everything begins,” said Lt. Col Vadym Demydykn, a Ukrainian intelligence officer. “It’s the information you need to know before you act.”
Once the command post is notified, they review the information and make decisions about how to help the troops in the field.
“We get the information, analyze it and assist by providing support to the subordinate units,” explained Bulgarian planner Lt. Col. Desislav Ivanov.
After the land forces are in place it is important for them to continue moving while ensuring the civilians are kept safe. This is where the civilian-military/civil affairs liaisons (CIMIC/CA) come in.
“The army on the battlefield creates a complex environment that must be coordinated with the local population. We act to make sure the civilians are not in danger and the military has freedom of movement,” said Romanian CIMIC officer Lt. Col. George Feleaga.
Land force movement and civilian security is crucial and Joint Combined Exchange Training events, such as the MND-SE European Reassurance Initiative (ERI) in Romania are examples of important command post exercises being conducted by Baltic countries and Eastern Europe to demonstrate continued commitment to the collective security of NATO for enduring peace and stability in the region.