Grafenwoehr's capabilities combined for rotational forces

By Sgt. Kenneth D. ReedNovember 25, 2015

Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, fire M1A2 Sepv2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks during a combined arms live-fire exercise at the Joint Multinational Training Command in Grafenwoe... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Romanian soldiers conduct a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise as part of Exercise Combined Resolve V at the Joint Multinational Training Command in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Nov. 19, 2015. Exercise Combined Resolve V is designed to exercise the U.S. Army'... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Col. Phil Brooks (standing), Commander, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, observes Romanian soldiers conducting a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise as part of Exercise Combined Resolve V at the Joint Multinational Train... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany (Nov. 19, 2015) -- After eight months of planning and coordination the final culminating event for exercise Combined Resolve V, ended with a combined arms live-fire exercise, Nov. 19, 2015, here.

And for the second time, Capt. David Broyles, chief of plans and operations, Grafenwoehr Training Area, watched all the hard work and coordination come to life.

The planning for Combined Resolve V began a week after Combined Resolve IV came to an end, June 25, 2015.

"It started with U.S. Army Europe and the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command defining the exercise and for the Combined Resolve series of exercises the CALFEX is what they want to accomplish," said Capt. Matthew Krause, maneuver branch engineer planner.

Once this happens, range operations began scheduling the land, ranges and facilities that were needed to support an event of this size.

"Here at range operations we have a great knowledge of Grafenwoehr Training Area, so when units come to us with their objectives we help shape their intent using the ranges here and meet those requirements safely," said Staff Sgt. Gregory Hennon, the range operations safety non-commissioned officer in charge.

Next range operations talked to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center about the tasks the unit wants to train to at the brigade and battalion level. Then, they began designing an event that supports that. Although JMRC had the lead in designing the actual exercises, range operations helped plan what ranges in Grafenwoehr Training Area were better for practical uses.

As details were refined during the planning phase, there were approximately 10 in-progress reviews held weekly with JMTC, JMRC and range operations until it was time to start rehearsals, which was about five days before the CALFEX began.

"Once the exercise began, the involvement of the planners shifted and they became more involved with the area they helped build. This was so that the Soldiers got the most out of the training and everyone was safe," said Broyles. "These were our two biggest priorities."

Exercise Combined Resolve V, a U.S. Army Europe-directed multinational exercise at the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas, included more than 4,600 participants from 1o NATO Allies and 3 Partnership for Peace nations. For more on exercise Combined Resolve visit:

Related Links:

7th Army JMTC

Exercise Combined Resolve