1st Infantry Division Soldiers begin Combined Resolve XVI

HOHENFELS, Germany — A blanket of snow fell upon tanks, armored personnel carriers and fuel trucks, staged and ready for action at Camp Albertshof, Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, December 2nd.

Soldiers climbed through the snow to a newly established tactical operations center and connected the command and control systems of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Other Soldiers outfitted their vehicles and weapons with MILES gear (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System), a system of sensors used to determine hits in a combat exercise. The snow obscured the details of the Soldiers and their equipment as they worked through the snowy dusk of day. It was difficult to see that they were not all of the same unit, or even in the same nation’s military.

As the first hard push of winter settled over Bavaria, Germany, the Soldiers took little notice. They worked hard preparing to fight together. Units from many nations prepared to go into the field as part of Combined Resolve XVI and to affirm that, together, they will be victorious in any conflict.

CBR XVI is a United States Army Europe and Africa directed, 7th Army Training Command conducted, JMRC hosted training event for 1ABCT from Nov. 17 to Dec. 20. The event is designed to evaluate and assess 1ABCT’s ability to conduct multinational operations in a multi-domain simulated battlespace.

“Multinational military exercises not only sustain our readiness to conduct large-scale operations in a dynamic environment, but are an important part of achieving interoperability with our unified allied partners,” said Maj. Gen. Adam Joks, Deputy Commanding General — Interoperability, V Corps. “This is a great opportunity for our Soldiers to train alongside their multinational counterparts across all warfighting functions and to gain valuable personal experience. Our Soldiers learn about the unique capabilities our allies bring to the table, and this allows them to share their experience to create a more lethal coalition.”

Combined Resolve XVI includes approximately 4,600 Soldiers from Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States. The operations are being conducted by integrated battalions with multinational units operating under a unified command and control element allowing the U.S., its allies and partners to experience invaluable training alongside each other.

“By conducting combined operations with our allies, our Soldiers learn how to work together effectively and efficiently to achieve tactical objectives,” Joks said. “Conducting complex multinational training exercises strengthens interoperability by integrating systems, procedures and building lasting relationships with our allies.”

Since April 2014, U.S. Army Europe and Africa has led the Department of Defense’s European land efforts by bringing units based in the U.S. to Europe for nine months at a time, an effort known as Atlantic Resolve. These rotations train with allies and partners across Europe on an ongoing basis creating a unified front which serves to deter aggression in the region.

Combined Resolve XVI is a direct representation of U.S. commitment to a free, democratic, safe and secure Europe by maintaining readiness to dominate large-scale operations in the European theater.

To view more visual products from Combined Resolve XVI, visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/CombinedResolve

To learn more about Atlantic Resolve, visit: https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/AtlanticResolve/