Special Operations and Conventional Forces Build Interoperability at JMRC

By Capt. Shamika Hill ( USARC)November 11, 2015

Deep Strike
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Special Operations Forces execute a deep strike on replicated surface to air missiles during Combined Resolve V at Hohenfels, Germany, November 2, 2015. Exercise Combined Resolve V is designed to exercise the U.S. Army's regionally allocated force to... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
SOF Planning
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French and U.S. Special Opereations Forces soldiers and Montenegran soldiers conduct a map recon of their objective during Combined Resolve V, 0November, 03, 2015 at Hohenfles, Germany. Exercise Combined Resolve V is designed to exercise the U.S. Arm... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
SOF/CF I3
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Georgian and U.S. Special Operations Plan Liaisons work with planners form 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division for operations during exercise Combined Resolve V at Hohenfels, Germany, November 3, 2015. Exercise Combined Resolve V is designed to exerci... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

HOHENFELS, Germany - Special Operational Forces (SOF) from the U.S., Bulgaria and France recently partnered with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, during exercise Combined Resolved V.

During the exercise, 91 operators trained alongside 2,000 U.S. troops and 2,600 troops from numerous NATO and Partner for Peace nations.

Exercises like Combined Resolve V provide the opportunity for the training units to practice Special Operational Forces and Conventional Forces Integration, Interoperability and Interdependence or SOF/CF I3.

Combining SOF and CF is a regular way of doing business at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC). However, this partnership is new for these parallel chains of commands.

During the exercise, the training units participate in a fictional scenario where they must support the legitimate government of Atropia against aggression by their neighbors from Ariana. To be successful, the conventional and SOF must cooperate.

"Although they are separate, they are working towards the same goal. Here at [JMRC], that goal is to defeat the Arianan forces and reestablish the international boundary," said the Special Operations Planning Liaison Element (SOPLE) Officer. "The key here is to build interoperability between the CF and SOF."

In order to provide even more realism for the conventional forces and increase SOF development, the SF teams trained and employed locally recruited resistance forces, role-played by soldiers form Montenegro.

During training, the SOF Cell at JMRC -the Wolverines- oversees the operations of the SOF and their cooperation with the brigade. The importance of maintaining this link between the two forces stems from the fact that for every rotation at JMRC, the Joint Task Force works to maintain unity of effort at every level, but more importantly, unity of command at the JTF level.

Both Bulgaria and the U.S. provided their SOPLE LNOs to 1st Bde., 3rd Inf. Div. (Conventional Force), to enable a proper link between the SOF and conventional chains of command. The SOPLE's mission is to advise, assist, synchronize, and build a solid working relationship between the two forces during Combined Resolved V.

"I serve as a conduit between the brigade commander, his staff and my commander. So, everyone knows where they are on the battlefield and how those elements can help one another," said the A/2/7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) SOPLE. "If there is an operation going on, whether it is Special Forces or conventional forces, we are able to synchronize those operations in order to achieve the best effects."

Special Forces have skills that are outside the capabilities of the conventional force. These include reconnaissance and surveillance in hostile environments, offensive actions, intelligence operations and mobility operations.

Usually, many special operations happen at night, and within the established operations area of the brigade. It is critical that both sides are fully aware of what the other is doing in order to safely achieve their missions.

"If you could maximize these capabilities, you could shape the operation, allowing the conventional forces to accomplish a greater effect in the battlefield," said the LNO.

Maximizing the capabilities helped the 1st Bde., 3rd Inf. Div. commander execute the deep fight. The deep fight is being able to view and engage the enemy before physically seeing the enemy.

"Sometimes SOF can provide him with those eyes or engage targets that the brigade can't see, and allows them to move forward," explained the LNO.

The current scenario is very similar to Operation Desert Storm, explained the SOPLE. "SOF are looking for surface to air missile sites, and will destroy those sites. This will allow the coalition forces to go in and gain air superiority in the area. This is how we work together."

During Combined Resolve V, the U.S. SOF successfully operated alongside a U.S.-led multinational brigade with an extensive task organization, training them in the proper integration of SOF. This success was born out clearly in the ability of the teams to target and destroy enemy air defense sites prior to the friendly air assaults.

"The greater goal is that these two organizations improve how they share information, synchronize operations, and support each other on the battlefield," said the A/2/7th Special Operations Group (Airborne) SOPLE.

Related Links:

Combined Resolve Homepage

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