Szczecin soldiers on a reconnaissance mission for next year’s multinational exercise "Crystal Eagle": Wildflecken, Germany, from 10th to 13th December 2007.
Members of Szczecin-based Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) (still) find it hard to muster up any real Christmas spirit. At least, that applies to the slightly more than 40 soldiers who on 10th December 2007 took off for the city of Wildflecken in Northern Bavaria. Here, in the Rhön-Barracks, they were supposed to be on the scout for the multinational exercise called "Crystal Eagle 2008" scheduled to take place in September next year.
From today’s perspective, September 2008 seems to be far away, but “preparations for such an exercise begin as early as more than one year before. Therefore, we have achieved a rather advanced stage now, in December 2007, already”, knows Lieutenant Colonel Lutz Rademacher, having in mind the extensive coordination for such an exercise, which even involves the Ministries of Defense in the participating nations. The German staff officer is not only in charge of the reconnaissance team in Wildflecken; in his capacity as branch chief "Training and Exercises", he also plays a crucial role in the development of "Crystal Eagle".
Contribute Experience Gained
Between January and August this year, he had been employed as well in the Kabul-based headquarters of ISAF, the protection force for Afghanistan, together with most of the soldiers from Szczecin. Rademacher lets on that “we want to contribute our experiences gained there as an important element to the exercise, with a special emphasis on the chances, but also on the limitations of the cooperation between the military and civilian organisations.” The participants in the exercise, i.e. headquarters of a brigade from Germany, Estonia and Poland each as well as a reduced brigade headquarters from Latvia, will reap the benefits of these experiences. "The main emphasis of the Commanding General of the Szczecin-based Multinational Corps, Lieutenant General Zdzisław Goral, is on developing a common, multinational understanding of leadership", Lutz Rademacher describes the core mission of the exercise, and he adds: "In addition, we check our capacity for interoperability with formations from four different nations in the sectors joint conduct of operations, communication and information."
The concept of the exercise has been finalized; the military refer to it as a "computer-assisted command post exercise". Accordingly, no dust and dirt in the Rhön mountains. Instead of stone-crushing tracks of heavy combat vehicles, the strategists rather draw situation pictures and plans with a fine stroke on digitalized maps. Realistic computer calculations replace expensive and costly troop movements.
Find Answers
The German army’s battle simulation centre in the Wildflecken Rhön-Barracks principally offers the best preconditions for such exercises. What is required now, though, is making the infrastructural conditions in the barracks tally with the needs of the exercise. Who uses which building, which floor, which room? What is the furniture and technical equipment needed at a specific work place? Are the lines of communication between the buildings sufficient, or will it be necessary to lay additional optical fiber? Is the number of available accommodation big enough? How will rations, transportation or even the Internet link to the relatives at home be made sure? These and many more questions need to be answered by the recce team to make sure that the roundabout one thousand participants in the exercise originating from nine countries (in addition to Germans, Poles, Estonians and Latvians, soldiers from Denmark, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the US will also take part) will meet with the best possible conditions.
Back in theBaltic Barracks in Szczecin, home to the soldiers of Multinational Corps Northeast, the members of the recce team will incorporate all the findings gained into their exercise documents – another important step towards a successful exercise "Crystal Eagle 2008". And then, after the completion of these works, a contemplative Christmas mood will certainly arise among the soldiers of Multinational Corps Northeast, the right mood to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve together with their families.
