Saber Strike 2013 concluded June 13 as training locations in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia held closing ceremonies to commemorate two weeks of establishment exercises inside the Baltics.

“The exercise was an extreme success,” said Col. Frederick Jessen, U.S. Army Europe’s contingency-command post officer responsible. “We partnered with numerous nations improving our partner capacity and skill to command and control, enhancing our overall interoperability.”

Hosted this year by Lithuania, and now in its third year of execution, Saber Strike involved approximately 2,000 military personnel from 14 nations including: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Romania, NATO’s Multinational Corps Northeast, U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Joint Multinational Training Command, Joint Multinational Simulation Center, Joint Multinational Readiness Center, 5th Signal Command, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, the us Army and Air National Guard, and U.S. Army Cadet Command.

Norway and Sweden sent observers.

“Even worthwhile prepared units need good planning and someone to command and control them,” said Lithuanian Chief of the Land Forces Maj. Gen. Almantas Leika, exercise co-director. “This exercise shines because the perfect example of long-lasting cooperation between Lithuania and its strategic partners.”

For both the U.S. Army Europe Contingency Command Post and NATO’s Multinational Corps Northeast, the exercise represented the 1st time these mission-command elements have deployed outside the borders in their host countries. Both command posts received their scenarios and orders from the exercise’s higher control based on the Combat Training Center in Nemecine, Lithuania.

Multinational Corps Northeast located its command post at Tapa, Estonia, where it worked in close coordination with an Estonian brigade headquarters to devise and relay orders.

“It’s given us a possibility to deploy a command post element from Szczecin, Poland,” said Multinational Corps Northeast Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Agner Rokos. “I hope that during the quick-term we see numerous training opportunities like this where we bring numerous actors and we learn how to interact and serve as together.”

U.S. Army Europe’s contingency command post was located in Pabrade, Lithuania, and integrated a brand new system, the Multilateral Interoperable Program, which serves as a conduit to translate data and data systems from the command posts of differing nations.

“The undeniable fact that we will seek advice from NATO and allied partners is large,” said CCP Mission Command System Operations Lead Dan Hawkins. “It proves that the resources we’ve allocated to facilitate this operation have come to fruition.”

Also at Pabrade, U.S. Air Forces in Europe demonstrated its Expeditionary Medical Support capability, deploying a field hospital with Airmen from Aviano Air Base in Italy, Rammstein Air Base in Germany, Royal Air Force Station Lakenheath in England, and Texas Air National Guardsmen from Camp Bullis in Texas, to work alongside their Lithuanian counterparts to regard simulated casualties.

“It’s a superb opportunity,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Greg Trifilo, with the 31st Medical Group in Aviano. “Figuring out what Lithuanian medical capabilities are, learning what their physicians, nurses and medical personnel do and the way they prepare to enter theater really delivers an appreciation for the work all of us do.”

Additionally, infantry units from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the U.S. and the U.K. came together in Adazi, Latvia, for 2 weeks of field training. A platoon of Pennsylvania Army National Guardsmen were integrated right into a Lithuanian company, along with a squad of ROTC cadets participating inside the Cultural Understanding and Language Program. Another squad of cadets was attached to the Latvian company that played the opposing force. Additionally, an infantry platoon from 1 Royal Welsh within the Uk embedded with an Estonian company to make the educational exercise truly multinational.

“Only after we are unified, exercising together, are we strong,” said Latvian Army Col. Martins Liberts, the Adazi Field Keep fit exercise Director, during his remarks on the closing ceremony in Adazi.

The company-sized units rotated through a chain of situational-training exercises the primary week, where host-nation advisors in coordination with Observer Coach-Trainer’s from the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels provided feedback on conducting tasks comparable to movement to contact, ambush, planned attack and conduct of a defense. The separate companies then combined to form a multinational battalion, and spent four days conducting continuous operations against a determined opposing force.

U.S. Air Force A-10 aircraft from the Maryland Air National Guard together with French Mirage and Estonian L-39 fighters provided close-air support to these troops while flying out of Amari, KC 135 tankers from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard also provided aerial refueling support.

Estonia Joint Terminal Attack Controllers from the Michigan and Washington Air National Guards combined with their Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian counterparts to name in live ordnance onto targets on the Adazi Training Area, providing an added level of realism to the educational.

“Many commanders cooperated with air controllers for the 1st time,” said Latvian Captain Dans Jansons, Commander, Latvian Land Force Joint Terminal Attack Controllers. “It was a very good opportunity for them to grasp readily available the effectiveness of close-air support.”

This year’s exercise also marked 20 years of partnership between Maryland and Estonia, in addition to Pennsylvania and Lithuania, as participants inside the National Guard’s State Partnership Program.

“I was a tender lieutenant colonel once we started this system,” said Maryland state Adjutant General Maj. Gen. James Adkins. “I’ve seen an incredible journey from former republic of the Soviet union to NATO member.”

Those relationships have yielded results, as Estonian pilots have deployed alongside Maryland Air National Guardsmen in Afghanistan. That can’t be accomplished without those enduring relationships, in accordance with Adkins.

Similarly, Pennsylvania Army National Guardsmen have deployed alongside Lithuanian soldiers on four rotations to Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Europe’s 243rd Construction Management Team used Saber Strike 2013 as its mission-rehearsal exercise to arrange for its upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. The 18th Engineer Brigade worked with their Lithuanian counterparts in Kaunas, gaining experience on conducting structural assessments.

“Seeing the cooperation and partnership between the Baltic nations, U.S. and others is incredible,” said USAREUR Commanding General Lt. Gen. Donald Campbell. “It’s powerful and something we wish to continue to construct on for the way forward for the U.S. Army in Europe. I’m excited to return and work with my team and these nations to determine how we are able to continue to enhance upon it. It’s my goal and I’m committed to continuing to work to take action.”

Related Topic Tags

Related Defense, Military & Aerospace Forum Discussions