WIESBADEN, Germany – For the first time since the end of local COVID restrictions, 25 Bundeswehr Soldiers from the Hesse State Command visited their U.S. counterparts at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden. The goal of U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden’s planned event was to revive close ties. The German Bundeswehr, State Command Hesse and the garrison traditionally maintain a close partnership.
"We have very close ties, for me it's more than a partnership," emphasized the Acting Commander of Hesse State Command, Col. Siegfried Zeyer.
Army Combat Fitness Test
With support of the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force and U.S. Army Europe and Africa, a tight schedule for the visit was drawn up. After taking off at 6 a.m., the first task for the German Soldiers was to complete the U.S. Army’s standard Combat Fitness Test, which was prepared and supervised by Sgt. 1st Class Keron Frazier, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade.
The Soldiers of the Hesse State Command prepared themselves well for this -- after all, they wanted to “look good” in front of their American comrades. They even purchased special U.S. training equipment in preparation for the event. The U.S. Soldiers did not participate in the competition, and Senior Officer Cadet Walid Jebali, of Hesse State Command, was able to collect the Iron Leader award for his outstanding performance in the fitness test.
“This day is a perfect example of how military cooperation can be combined with a very personal camaraderie,” said Brig. Gen. Jonathan Byrom, commander of the 2nd MDTF.
Before a full afternoon of training, Soldiers shared meals at the on-post dining facility, showcased unit workspaces and were treated to a detailed bus tour. Guided by the Garrison’s Community Relations Chief, Martin Heinen, the tour provided a broad overview of the installation footprint and facilities, before moving on to the virtual shooting range. The visitors also went to the arms room where U.S. infantry standard weapons were explained by Staff Sergeant Rene Biem, 2nd MDTF.
Top Gun
After returning to Clay Kaserne, a visit to the virtual shooting range was on the agenda. In the Engagement Skills Trainer, military strengths were again put to the test in a joint exercise on the simulator. Once more, the German visitors were obviously well prepared. “Top Gun”, the prize for the best gunner, was taken by Cpl. Jochen Knoblauch, from Hesse State Command.
“Days like this are a nice tradition,” said Zeyer. “They strengthen our partnership and ensure an even closer bond. I'm already looking forward to our joint activities at the Hessentag. Between Friday, June 2 and Sunday, June 11, 2023, we will present ourselves together again, this year in Pfungstadt, very close to the Wiesbaden Garrison.”
Capt. Matthew Giersdorf, commander of the 228th Brigade Support Company, 2nd MDTF, was enthusiastic about the joint event, “We have a fantastic cooperation with the Hesse State Command in Wiesbaden. It is a perfect chance to interact with the German counterpart and more. So you get a very personal insight on how the other Soldiers think, act and, of course, live.”
The service members of both nations happily engaged with each other throughout the day and exchanged patches and contact information at the end. The day concluded with an award ceremony for the best ACFT scorer (Iron Leader), the best EST scorer (Top Gun) as well as several signs of appreciation of each other.
“First of all, I would like to thank you for the huge camaraderie. It is a great pleasure to compete with such people and, even better, to get to know them from a very personal side,” said Garrison Wiesbaden’s Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Russell.
“We already have excellent cooperation today and, if I think a little further, I could also imagine closer cooperation one day, for example in homeland security or in supporting U.S. Soldiers in acquiring the German Armed Forces Badges for Military Proficiency (Leistungsabzeichen). Furthermore, I would like to express my deep gratitude to U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden for organizing the entire day of the visit, as well as to Capt. Giersdorf and 1st Lt. Powell for the support provided by their units at the respective stations,” added Zeyer.
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