Training exercises ensure that troops
in Europe will be ready if called
By Jon R. Anderson,
Stars and Stripes
HEIDELBERG, Germany — If the U.S. military is about to be thrust into a war
against terrorists, Army units in Europe are doing all they can to get ready for it.
As top-level planning for a counterattack continues, soldiers are shrugging off the
cold and rain of autumn at training areas and maneuver ranges throughout Europe.
While officials stress that most, if not all, of the training had been planned months
before last week’s attack, the exercises provide an opportunity to hone basic
warfighting skills if combat orders are issued to units here.
"Training continues to be an important part of our readiness," said Col Carl
Kropf, spokesman for Army forces in Europe. "We continue to execute our training
plans as we set out to ensure our soldiers are trained for any mission assigned."
Kropf declined to comment on reports that some units in Europe had been given
"warning orders" for possible deployment, but said "we continue to watch
very carefully the situation related to the attack against the United States. Our mission
is to be prepared to execute any orders we’re given."
And that means training.
In fact, nearly every major Army unit in Europe either has training under way now or
planned in the coming weeks.
Some 5,000 troops are currently involved in exercises at Germany’s two main
maneuver and live-fire training areas in Grafenwöhr and Hohenfels. At the top of that
list is a battalion of paratroopers from the Southern European Task Force’s 173rd
Airborne Infantry Brigade, from Vicenza, Italy.
SETAF is one of the few airborne units assigned in Europe, although a company of
rangers from the U.S.-based 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment — elite commandos who
specialize in high-risk raids and airborne assaults — are in Germany conducting
exercises at the Grafenwöhr's Combat Maneuver Training Center, according to Capt. Jeff
Settle, a spokesman for the 7th Army Training Command in Germany.
Among the other units currently in the field:
- 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment has finished a set of
computer simulation exercise and will start a CMTC rotation with SETAF next week. They
have two of these exercises back to back and will not return to home station until Oct.
26.
- 1st Infantry Division’s headquarters staff is completing a Command Post Exercise,
dubbed "Dual Eagle" this week at Grafenwöhr.
- 1st Infantry Division’s 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment is undergoing gunnery
tank crew courses.
- 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment is conducting small arms
live-fire training.
- V Corp’s 3rd Corps Support Command and the 12th Aviation Brigade have units
involved in "Adventure Exchange" in Turkey.
The 1st Armored Division will pick up the training baton in the coming weeks as well.
The division headquarters is beginning its own command post exercise, called "Arcade
Fusion," in northern Germany starting Oct. 8.
Beginning Sept 24 and running through mid November, the vast majority of the
division’s units also will be rotating through Grafenwöhr and Hohenfels, as well.
Meanwhile, units are on the move to begin V Corp’s premier training event of the
year, called "Victory Strike" in Poland. Some 4,000 troops — along with
Apache attack helicopters and support aircraft — are slated to participate. About
1,000 personnel have already begun deploying.
"We’ve made minor adjustments to meet force protection requirements both here
in Germany and in Poland; however our overall numbers are about the same as originally
planned," said V Corps spokesman Maj. Martin Downie. "We’ll still be able
to accomplish our training objectives."
Downie said some units, such as 1st Battalion, 27th Field Artillery are bringing fewer
troops that originally planned, while other units are deploying more.
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