21st TSC hones convergence with NATO partners during Avenger Triad 2024

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – The 21st Theater Sustainment Command, in collaboration with NATO partners, conducted a multi-node command post exercise in Kaiserslautern, Sembach, and Ulm, Germany during Avenger Triad 2024 (AvT24) from Sept. 9 to 20.

AvT24 was a proof of principle (PoP) operation to demonstrate the 21st TSC’s ability to maintain command and control while deploying geographically separated command nodes throughout Germany. According to Col. Christopher Richardson, 21st TSC chief of staff, this was a ground-breaking PoP designed to integrate information sharing and command responsibilities, while identifying gaps in staff processes and capabilities.

“I was impressed to see our team overcome the challenges of operating in a multi-nodal, highly competitive simulated environment,” said Richardson. “Over the past two weeks, the staff has shown remarkable growth in their ability to grasp broad strategic concepts and translate them into concrete, actionable plans.”

Richardson oversaw operations at the main command node in Kaiserslautern to conduct rapid planning on multiple systems to support the European sustainment enterprise. The ability to predict, prepare, and rehearse for this operation was of paramount importance to the 21st TSC’s sustainment mission across Europe and in support of NATO.

The command node in Ulm had a secondary, but just as important, objective: to integrate with the Joint Sustainment Enabling Command (JSEC), which is NATO’s sustainment command. JSEC’s mission priorities closely aligns with the 21st TSC’s mission to plan and prepare European sustainment in times of crisis.

According to Maj. Gen. Dirk Kipper, JSEC chief of staff of operations, it is critical for Europe’s two main military sustainment commands to be in line with each other now, rather than in times of crisis.

“The main task of JSEC is to operationalize and to organize the reinforcement and sustainment network NATO-wide,” said Kipper. “The key topics for us are sustainment, enablement, and our reinforcement of forces. For us as a NATO entity it is of the utmost importance to get in close contact with our U.S. partners and friends to organize our tasks as best as possible. In all fields of cooperation and coordination, we could do a lot to gain success.”

Sgt. Maj. Torsten Steinberger, JSEC senior enlisted leader, said the connection between the 21st TSC and the JSEC was of the utmost importance for both commands and the NATO alliance.

“JSEC’s task with all layers of coordination as a functional command, is as complex as a Swiss clockwork, and as it is with a clockwork, if the smallest part in it fails the clockwork is not running anymore,” said Steinberger. “The shown professionalism of the members of 21st TSC and JSEC to fulfil the given tasks of the commanders was outstanding and can be proudly called a success.”

Cpt. Josh Castaneda, a future operations planner with the 21st TSC G3 operations section, said AvT24 also taught him a lot about interoperability with other counties. Castenda was supporting the command node in Sembach.

“The exercise has taught me a lot more about working with multi partner nations in operations that would essentially deter adversaries and how we tie in NATO countries,” said Castaneda. “Seeing how we all tie in and how our plans would all work together has ben more eye opening than I ever thought it would be.”

By testing, refining, and improving systems and processes that makes sustainment in Europe possible, the 21st TSC continuously expands its expertise and readiness posture that makes it the premier sustainment element in Europe. By sharing these best practices and lessons learned with JSEC, both entities keep getting closer to becoming fully integrated to ensure NATO is fully supplied during times of crisis.

“AvT24 provided an invaluable opportunity for the 21st TSC team to hone our wartime skills alongside our NATO partners,” said Richardson. “In the event that deterrence fails, we must be prepared to execute theater-level sustainment operations across a contested logistics environment.”

AvT24 is a U.S. Army Europe-Africa computer assisted command post exercise designed to train U.S. and multinational units in large scale combat operations a competitive simulated environment. Exercises like AvT24 allows U.S. and NATO forces the opportunity to train alongside each other in dynamic and realistic training environments.