LETZLINGEN, Germany -- Approximately 120 Soldiers from A Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division were 'shocked' into action and have deployed to Germany as part of Army Europe's Deployment Readiness Exercise program.
'Freedom Shock' is the Army Europe commander's program to train, validate and sustain Army Europe's readiness.
It includes unannounced Deployment Readiness Exercises (DRE), telephonic phone alerts and musters in order to enable commanders to train, mobilize and deploy their units at a moment's notice anywhere in the European are of operation in support of the Army Europe commanding general's Strong Europe construct.
'Aztec' Company deployed from Ft. Stewart, Ga., to Grafenwoehr, Germany within days of receiving the shock notification. The unit spent about a week there before moving again to the German training center here.
While based stateside, the unit is a part of the Regionally Aligned Force assigned to Army Europe's command when deployed to Europe. The RAF structure enables combatant commanders to deploy globally and provide constantly available forces to meet any challenge.
The bilateral training here officially started April 20, and will run through the end of the month. In addition to testing the unit's deployment readiness, this is also being used as a prerequisite and testing platform for future joint exercises between the German Army's opposing forces units and Army Europe opposing forces units.
"If we come together and work as a team we will be able to do any mission and end any threat to Europe," said Lt. Col. Thierry Bras, a current-operations officer assigned to Army Europe Headquarters. "That is the intent behind this [exercise]."
Similar to Army Europe's Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, the training center here uses special equipment to monitor the battlefield. Each Soldier, vehicle and weapon system is equipped with a tracking device which relays information back to the operations center about position, if a weapons system has been fired, and if a vehicle or Soldier has been hit. This provides training observers with real-time data and detailed information enabling battlefield commanders to review and analyze how they performed after the battle.
The first week focused on platoon level tactics then escalated into company-level training during the remaining days. U.S. and German Soldiers faced many obstacles on the battlefield, including enemy tanks and dismounted forces, water and bridge obstructions, and a nearly kilometer-long simulated minefield.
"The training is amazing," said Staff Sgt. Isaak Moser, a squad leader assigned to A Company. "The area that we are running through and utilizing the Bradleys, the vehicles and dismounted portions in is beautiful forests and wooded areas. The open areas are perfect for the track vehicles. The scenarios they have us going through are very intense but they are actually pretty fun, I m not going to lie."
Additionally, the German opposing force company exchanged one of their platoons with a platoon from A Company to add interoperability challenges, such as the language barrier.
As the last day of training wrapped up, a review of the most recent performance welcomed a special guest to proved feedback and a bit of extra motivation to follow the troops into their next scenario.
"It is how we will react together that is going to be important, said Brig. Gen. Michael Tarsa of the 4th Infantry Division, speaking to U.S. and German soldiers during his visit here, April 28, to speak with Soldiers and observe the training. "This is a representation of how we will engage in the years to come. I am excited about being out here and even more excited to be standing here with my German friends."
As the unit finishes it last day of training here they will be loading their equipment onto railcars at a nearby rail yard and continue training at Hohenfels for approximately three weeks, then move back to Grafenwoehr.
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