HOHENFELS, Germany — As Combined Resolve XVII enters its final days, U.S. Army Soldiers, alongside counterpart nations across the European theater, are putting their skills and training to the test in a major simulated attack.
Combined Resolve is a multinational exercise conducted at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, designed to test and certify brigade combat teams, as well as build interoperability with allies and partners. This year's iteration is scheduled to run from May 20 to June 19, 2022.
Combined Resolve XVII features the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, with more than 5,600 participants from Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Lithuania, Moldova, North Macedonia and Poland on the battlefield, learning to fight together.
“I am enjoying working in the field with our partners and NATO allies, specifically the Czechs, and seeing all the different nations’ equipment,” said 2nd Lt. Christian Timana, a signal officer with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “Combined Resolve’s interoperability has been an opportunity to bring all of our training together.”
Units involved in training are exiting the closed phase and beginning the open phase of the exercise. The closed phase serves as an opportunity for units to integrate and train with their international partners as well as retrain on existing systems and drills they are expected to know.
“Hohenfels and the Joint Multinational Readiness Center have prepared my team and me to conduct operations at an advanced level,” said Spc. Brett Tomlin, a multichannel transmission systems operator and maintainer with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
Moving into the open phase, Soldiers will be put to the test on all of the training they have conducted as well as be expected to coordinate, maneuver and execute freely within the training grounds. U.S. Army Observer, Coach/Trainers, called OC/Ts, will have a more hands-off approach, allowing for more realistic combat simulations. The battlefield training is realistic and meant to provide the ultimate readiness training for all brigade combat teams, including partner nations like the Czech Republic.
"The Combined Resolve exercise is also the highest level of preparation we have achieved for 7 BCT certification in the international arena at this time," said Czech Army Brig. Gen. Petr Svoboda. "In the cauldron of 12 nations, we will develop mutual trust."
Combined Resolve training aims to produce combat-credible Army and Allied and partner nation forces, ensuring the necessary readiness and lethality to defend against a near-peer adversary.
“Combined Resolve has been an opportunity for [1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division] to put our training to the test. Working alongside our NATO Partners and Allies enhances our interoperability through tough and realistic scenario-based events,” said 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team Commander Col. Peter Moon. “There is simply no substitute for the training Combined Resolve provides. Our presence, combined with our allies, enhances the lethal capability of all Raiders and their enablers.”
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