GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- More than 120 Soldiers took the opportunity to train as they simultaneously supported multinational forces during Allied Spirit V at the 7th Army Training Command's training area, Sept. 25 to Oct. 15.
As the 1st Inland Cargo Transfer Company, 39th Movement Control Battalion, deployed to Hohenfels, Germany, to support the multi-national exercise, the initial convoy from Grafenwoehr, Germany, split into three separate elements with different tasks, the quartering party, main body, and trail element.
The quartering party, which consisted mainly of Soldiers from the headquarters platoon, was tasked with identifying possible chemical hazards around the logistics resupply point.
"I took charge of the quartering party by securing the area and clearing the site utilizing the joint chemical agent device," said Spc. Demetri Parisi, unit chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear specialist. "Once the area was secured we gave the green light to the main body to start setting up their sectors of fire as they moved into the resupply point with all of the supplies for the exercise."
The main body, consisting of Soldiers from 1st ICTC's 2nd Platoon, entered the resupply point with over 1,500 meters of concertina wire, 500 meters of barbed wire, over 100 poles, and numerous pieces of equipment which allowed the unit to establish a secure perimeter. The Soldiers in the main body were also assigned as the Allied Spirit mission Soldiers whose main role during the exercise was the transportation of supplies in support of the regionally allocated and multinational forces.
The main priority the initial day was to secure the 500 meter perimeter around the area and begin construction on fighting positions for each squad's assigned sector of fire.
Throughout the exercise, Staff Sgt. Demorio Rowe, a cargo specialist and 2nd Plt., squad leader, used personal experiences obtained as a combat engineer to create training sessions to familiarize the Soldiers with basic battle drills. Battle drills included reacting to indirect fire, reacting to chemical attacks, search and seizure of enemy combatants, react to contact, and ended with a culmination of all these drills.
"By using blank ammunition, smoke grenades, and explosion simulators, it helped to create a realistic feeling to the training," said Spc. Devonte Flowers, cargo specialist, 1st ICTC. "I think this makes us more prepared to react to the stressful conditions associated with an actual attack."
Allied Spirit V prepared more than 1,000 participants from the United States, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Lithuania and the United Kingdom to operate together by exercising tactical interoperability and testing secure communications within NATO Allies and partners.
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