USJFCOM
prepares U.S. and coalition forces for Iraqi deployment
U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) recently conducted
a mission rehearsal exercise to help prepare the 21,000
U.S. service members scheduled for rotational deployment
to Iraq later this year meet their upcoming mission.
By USJFCOM Public Affairs
(FORT
HOOD, Texas - June 23, 2006) -- U.S. Joint Forces Command
(USJFCOM) conducted a mission
rehearsal exercise June 19-25 here to help prepare the 21,000 U.S. service
members scheduled for rotational deployment to Iraq later
this year meet their upcoming mission.
Exercise Unified Endeavor 06-2 (UE 06-2) provided realistic
training scenarios for U.S. Army III Corps' command staff,
as well as elements of the 25th Infantry and 1st Cavalry
Divisions, and individual augmentees assigned as part of
Multinational Corps-Iraq.
The exercise included subject matter experts from U.S.
Central Command and multiple interagency organizations.
A group of USJFCOM and Army observer/trainers also helped
the training audience accomplish their training objectives.
"We
develop a complex environment so the commander and his
staff can appreciate how they will have to operate
when they get there," said Army Col. Mike Formica,
director of the USJFCOM Joint
Warfighting Center's Joint
Exercise Control Group. More than 300 USJFCOM military
personnel,
civilian
employees
and contractors participated in UE 06-2.
According to III Corps officials, the training scenario
provided opportunities for U.S. and coalition forces to
plan for issues they will soon face such as in-theater
logistic support and security transition to the Iraqi forces.
Army Maj. Gen. James E. Simmons, III Corps' deputy commander,
commented on the advancements USJFCOM has made in its joint
training program.
"This is an extraordinary exercise that has been
put together by USJFCOM," said Simmons who participated
in the III Corps train up to go to Iraq the first time,
approximately 30 months earlier.
"The significant improvements made by USJFCOM since
that exercise have better prepared us to assume our role
in this very important operation that we are currently
conducting in Iraq," said Simmons.
Prior to UE 06-2, the 25th Infantry Division participated
in Phantom Round-Up, an Army Battle Command Training Program
lead exercise. It was a specialized mission rehearsal exercise
conducted June 9-14 to prepare the division for its rotation
to Iraq.
Exercise planners emphasized that UE 06-2 and Phantom
Round-Up were examples of the strong partnership between
the Army and USJFCOM and provided an opportunity to reinforce
joint force and multinational operation partnerships.
Planners said the exercises were also an opportunity to
reinforce joint and multinational partnerships.
"This is an opportunity too good to miss and a chance
to build better relationships among coalition forces," said
UK Royal Marine Capt. Nick Cavill. "There could be
no better training than this to prepare us to go in theater.
I am in awe of what lengths have been taken to reproduce
real life scenarios in Iraq. Training with coalition forces
really enriches the experience and provides different perspectives."
Military personnel from the United Kingdom, the Republic
of Korea, Italy, and Poland participated in both exercises.
Planning for Unified Endeavor 07 (UE-07) is scheduled
to begin next month.
|
