Regionally Allocated Force displays mission readiness at CALFEX

Photo By Markus Rauchenberger | U.S. Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, move down range in their M1A2 Sepv2 Abrams Main Battle Tank during exercise Combined Resolve VII at the 7th Army Training Command in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Aug. 18, 2016. Combined Resolve is a U.S.-led combined arms exercise designed to prepare U.S. and European forces for multinational operations. The exercise is designed to train the Army’s regionally allocated forces to the U.S. European Command. Combined Resolve VII includes more than 3,500 participants from 16 NATO and European partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger)  

GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, GERMANY

08.18.2016

Story by Sgt. Kathleen Polanco  

7th Army Training Command

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- The mission readiness of the U.S. Army Europe's Regionally Allocated Force (RAF) was put to the test during Combined Resolve VII's Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX) at the Grafenwoehr Training Area from August 16-18.

Combined Resolve VII is a U.S. Army Europe-directed exercise that was designed to train the U.S. European Command's (USEUCOM) RAF with 16 NATO and European partner nations. The goal of the 7th Army Training Command's brigade-level multinational exercise was to promote stability and security in the region.

The RAF is an Army unit that has been tailored to a unified combatant command to be a flexible, responsive and consistently available force for regional missions. The RAF's capabilities are required to support operational missions, training exercises and theater security cooperation activities.

The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (1/3 ID) from Fort Stewart, Georgia, is the brigade combat team designated as part of the RAF for the USEUCOM.

"This has been an excellent opportunity as a brigade commander to generate training readiness as well as leader readiness," said Col. Phil Brooks, the commander of 1/3 ID. "The 7ATC has provided me with the resources that I need to generate the leader readiness in accordance with the Chief of the Staff of the Army's guidance."

The RAF concept demonstrates commitment to improving the unit's overall mission readiness by providing resources needed to train as they fight, as well as develop future leaders.

"Units leave here at a higher state of training readiness than when they arrived," Brooks said. "The allocation of land, ammunition and all the resources that we're provided here are a direct result of 7ATC's commitment to generate readiness while we're here on these rotations."

This is 1/3 ID's third rotation to the training area as the designated RAF, which has allowed all seven battalions in the brigade to strengthen their training readiness through participating in exercises such as the CALFEX.

The CALFEX is the second phase of the Combined Resolve VII exercise that started August 8 at the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas. The two-day exercise requires the maneuver assets, artillery, mortars, engineers, helicopters and close air support to simultaneously utilize their mission readiness capabilities to operate together in a scenario-based environment.

The units of the RAF conducted training to meet their certification standards prior to participating in a CALFEX. Upon qualification, those units applied all their training from the past six months in the final exercise of their rotation.

"You learn through repetition or you learn through a significant emotional event," said Brooks. "Those Soldiers are getting the repetition here. They will be prepared to take that to the next level in our training glide path."

In order for the RAF to conduct such training to participate in the exercise, they would need the resources available to do so. The 7ATC directorates provided land and range support, ammunition and personnel to conduct the exercises.

"The 7ATC enables me to provide simultaneous direct and indirect fires in support of the maneuver," said Brooks. "Without the assistance of range control personnel here, I could not bring both direct and indirect artillery, mortars, Apaches and the close air support simultaneously with the tanks and Bradleys."

The training exercises aren't the only things that aided the RAF's readiness; the opportunity to attend schools have as well.

While on rotation here as the RAF, the 1/3 ID Soldiers have been able to attend schools such as the Basic Leader's Course at the 7th Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy here. Over 200 Soldiers will have attended the BLC here by the end of their six-month rotation.

"It's not just about training readiness. It's about leader readiness and building the future noncommissioned officer corps in the Army." said Brooks. "We are generating leader readiness and future senior leaders here."

As the end of 1/3ID's RAF rotation is approaching, the Soldiers and leaders will be returning to Fort Stewart with a vast amount of readiness.

"They're going to leave with their chins held high knowing that they have received training in an environment they could never repeat," said Brooks.

• Date Taken: 08.18.2016
• Date Posted: 08.23.2016 07:26
• Story ID: 207926
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, DE