HOHENFELS, Germany -- Multiple explosions disrupted a tranquil morning in southeastern Germany, leaving behind scattered debris and the overwhelming smell of sulfur. This would be startling to some, but to a specialized group of civilians, it's just another day at work.
The Joint Multinational Readiness Center here hosts around 20 training exercises each year. This month, nearly 4,700 military members are participating in Saber Junction 15, a large-scale decisive action training environment exercise designed to enhance interoperability among 17 NATO Allies and partner-nation armies.
The exercise involves numerous smaller missions, the success of which is contingent upon the interoperability among the nations and the support provided by training elements.
One of the elements is known as the "Dragons," a fitting designator for a group responsible for providing pyrotechnic support for JMRC exercises. The team of about 50 full-time staff members simulates explosive threats typical on the modern battlefield.
"We support all the training groups here," said Sven Baechtle, the Dragons' fire marker operation controller. He said his team's role is to replicate threats such as roadside bomb blasts and indirect fire, and to use smoke to simulate close-air support.
Live fire isn't permitted at JMRC's Hohenfels Training Area, so the pyrotechnic support makes training as realistic and safe as possible.
Senior Airman Guillermo Pacheco of the 4th Air Support Operations Group, Detachment 1 said that the Dragons' pyrotechnic support provides a critical training component, especially in force-on-force scenarios.
Without pyrotechnics, the scenario itself wouldn't be as realistic, Pacheco said, adding that "there wouldn't be that sense of urgency or pressure on the training unit."
Dragon team members spend most of their workdays outdoors while exercises are in progress. That is an appealing aspect of the job for Andre Wagner, a fire marker who has spent 10 years on the team.
"It's fun here outside," he said. "You see a lot and it's always different."
Even though live artillery isn't used, safety remains paramount. Wagner's team follows the same safety protocol that would be used during live fire.
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