A technical exercise Compact Green 2008 conducted by the Command Support Brigade was successfully accomplished on 20th May in Wittstock, Germany.
Battalions training together
From 14th to 20th May soldiers from the Polish 100th Signal and 104th Support Battalions and German 610th Signal Battalion constituting Command Support Brigade (CSB) took part in an annual exercise Compact Green. Apart from 107 soldiers participating in the exercise, a kind of "hero" was the equipment, altogether 30 vehicles such as Remus cabins containing complex technical and electronic devices. The main part of the equipment was placed in the training area in Wittstock, Germany; however, some items were also located at the Baltic Barracks in Szczecin, Poland and in Wałcz as well.
Testing phase
There was no tactical background for the Compact Green; it was a purely static and technical exercise. The main idea was to test and exercise developing communications systems, which shall function for the needs of the Multinational Corps Northeast. There were three elements created for the exercise – the Main Command Post, the Alternate Command Post and the Corps Communications Information System Element. Various connections were established between these three elements and the Peace Headquarters located at the Baltic Barracks in Szczecin. Tests included data transmission, telephone and fax connections as well as videoconferences. Several variants of configurations were tested. Messages were sent via both non-secure and secure connections with the use of encoding devices. Wired, radio and satellite connections were established via field mobile communications systems Storczyk and a German Deployable Access Net, a new system the 610th Signal Battalion has been equipped with. The system was tested by the CSB for the first time. As the results are positive, the system is going to be used during the Corps exercise Crystal Eagle.
Two in one: Compact Green and Clear Contact
Although the exercise Compact Green was the main sphere of interest, a typically radio exercise Clear Contact was conducted in parallel. Necessary equipment was deployed in Wałcz, home of the Polish 100th Signal Battalion. During the exercise radio connections between Wałcz and Wittstock were thoroughly tested.
The Corps involvement
In the past it was the MNC NE G-6 Division that was fully responsible for planning and organising exercises like Compact Green for the Command Support Brigade. At the moment the Command Support Brigade is independent, nevertheless, the CSB is a formation affiliated with the Corps for the time of exercises, operations or missions.
In this exercise apart from the fact the Commander MNC NE was the Officer Scheduling Exercise, the MNC NE personnel acted as coordinators. One of them, Major Marek Kochaniec explained that "the process of taking over the responsibilities and experiences is rather fluid. Besides, the CSB needs our support in terms of connecting with the NATO stationary Communications system".
During the Distinguished Visitors’ Day, which fell on 19th May, Commander MNC NE Lieutenant General Zdzisław Goral visited the training area in Wittstock where he could hear about the results of the exercise. As the CSB Commander Colonel Jacek Rolak said, all test were successfully completed meaning that all aims of the exercise were achieved. He also added that this exercise was a big step forward for the CSB in terms of providing required support for the Corps.
Making friends
CSB Commander underlined the fact that apart from technical success there was also another reason to be satisfied with the exercise results: "We have managed to integrate soldiers from Polish and German battalions". In fact, there was a programme prepared for the soldiers to activate them off-duty. Therefore, there were football and shooting competitions, a visit to the Museum of the 30-year War or even a common mass. It was not necessary to wait long for the results: "After two, three days there was no division into Polish or German soldiers", Colonel Rolak stated. Such personal contacts are especially valuable because of the fact that none of the battalions acts independently. They create the Command Support Brigade together and they should trust each other in order to fulfil tasks assigned to the CSB effectively.
What’s after Compact Green?
Compact Green was an annual test for the CSB and also part of preparations for the Crystal Eagle exercise scheduled for September 2008. During that event CSB will be responsible for providing telephone connections and internal communications systems as well as some elements of real life support.
