Photo By Sgt. Cody Barber | Portuguese medics treat a simulated casualty during the Silver Saber exercise at Camp...... read more read more
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CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - It’s the Super Bowl of crowd riot control events and it’s what the Kosovo forces have been training for the past couple of months. It’s Silver Saber and the three-day event was held May 14-16 at Camp Vrelo, Kosovo.
The training event tested the abilities of Kosovo Police, European Union Rule of Law Mission of Kosovo forces, and KFOR troops on their ability to coordinate, react and execute a large-scale multinational movement for a simulated CRC event.
The main muscle movement behind the event also was being able to synchronize all of the different forces and work like a well-oiled machine, said Italian Army Maj. Gen. Salvatore Farina, Kosovo Forces commander.
“Operating as crowd riot control was made possible and successful because the companies, units and commanders were working together,” said Farina. “This is a very difficult activity and the coordination between KP, EULEX, and KFOR and also within the KFOR units is paramount.”
The first day of Silver Saber exercise was in-door classrooms, where troops went over strategic plans on how to best tackle the CRC situation. The second training day allowed troops to go through various lanes of CRC to practice techniques used to contest civil unrest and the third day was the compilation of those entire tasks put together.
U.S. Army Capt. Daniel Stevens, company commander assigned to 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, agrees the coordination between the different multinationals was valuable to the training for everyone who participated.
“Everyone as their own tactics, procedures and their own language so every time we can get together and do joint operations it bridges the gaps we have as different countries and strengthens the KFOR alliance,” said Stevens.
Stevens also pointed out that it is important for troops to stay proficient in CRC tasks and to keep practicing the tactics that come along with it.
“Its critical to do this training to maintain a high state of readiness in the event that we are required by COMKFOR to support the mission of KFOR as responders,” said Stevens.
Silver Saber brought a mixture of challenges to the table for the security forces such as Molotov cocktails, large roadblocks and even rioters with chainsaws but that didn’t deter the troops, it only benefitted them.
“The resources thrown into this [exercise] really gives the Soldiers an extensive look by making it as realistic as possible,” said Stevens. “It’s the full gambit of threats we could face in a CRC environment.”
Using communication between the different elements and working together to overcome obstacles, the security forces were able to practice movement techniques against the opposing rioters. It’s a technique that would be used if one responder couldn’t handle the situation and needed help.
“We practiced CRC techniques and procedures as a whole,” said Slovenian Army 2nd Lt. Blaz Marolt, platoon leader for the Slovenian contingent. “What we were doing was to see if we could coordinate and function together.”
Troops in Kosovo are prepared to handle situations that disrupt freedom of movement and this training was just a way to show how KP, EULEX and KFOR could handle the situation at hand, Blaz added.
In the end, all of the gears of the machine came together to successfully restore freedom of movement and subdue the rioters; the end goal of the Silver Saber exercise.
“It was defiantly a tough fight [in Silver Saber] with the competitors but the soldiers maintained their composure and were able meet their end state,” said Stevens. “I’m very happy about how they did.”
| Date Taken: | 05.27.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2014 08:58 |
| Story ID: | 131135 |
| Location: | CAMP BONDSTEEL, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 269 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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