HOHENFELS, Germany -- Exercise Saber Junction 15 is underway here at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, or JMRC, and one team is ensuring the U.S. Army squadron in focus is ready to meet any demands faced over the next few weeks.
After kicking off the exercise with an early-entry into Romania last month, the U.S. Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, or 2CR, has been conducting land operations and serving as the exercise's support element here - all beneath the watchful eye of what's known as the JMRC's observer controller trainer team, or OCT.
"Our entire goal here is to build and train an organization that is decisive and able to operate in a multinational environment," said Capt. Kinard Egleton, an observer controller trainer on JMRC's Adler Team. "As sustainment trainers, our job is to ensure that the task force [1st Squadron, 2CR] is able to support an array of forces, including NATO forces with all types of supplies."
The regiment's Regimental Support Squadron is training to coordinate and communicate logistics. But adding to the challenge is distance. The support unit is 30 minutes away from the decisive action units, who are on the front lines of the exercise. This distance of separation simulates real-life situations, testing the squadron's ability to coordinate tactical movements to support fighting forces.
"The reason we are doing this is to replicate the distance and replicate the communication structure that needs to be in place for this unit to talk to the units they are supplying," Egleton said.
"Without vehicles, our combat power lacks and we are not going to win, especially when we are working with all our allied nations," said Sgt. 1st Class Wesley Townsend, an operations maintenance non-commissioned officer with 2CR's Regimental Support Squadron. "We need to be able to get parts, logistics and fuel. And basically everything we need is transported with vehicles, and without that we will never make it to the fight and we are never going to win that fight."
Meanwhile, the OCT teams will throw other hurdles at 2CR's Regimental Support Squadron. At some point during Exercise Saber Junction 15, the ability to treat mass casualties will be tested. But leaders are in suspense: When and where the attack will happen is uncertain, though the unit has elaborate medical facilities to treat any ailment from minor injuries all the way up to battlefield surgeries.
Simultaneously, the unit will also need to demonstrate effective mission planning and proper security procedures for its outpost to clear the last two main objectives set by Egleton and his team.
Exercise Saber Junction 15 is an Army Europe-led force on force tactical movement exercise. Participating units will be training alongside allied and partner nations as part of a combined force, to resolve a scenario based conflict in a foreign nation, which is asking for NATO assistance. The exercise takes place throughout Germany, Lithuania and Romania.
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2CR early-entry into Romania kicking off Saber Junction 15
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