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U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s top priority is to partner with the joint and combined team to win today’s fight.
To achieve this priority, USAFE Airmen often work side-by-side with other nations, learning from each other’s missions and how each country trains for contingencies.
The latest USAFE Silver Flag Exercise, hosted Feb. 21 to 28, offered Airmen from Italy to England, as well as Air Force Reserve members from as far away as Georgia, to participate in a week-long contingency operations training exercise on Ramstein. More importantly, the exercise opened the door for international partners, allowing members of the Croatian army to observe for the first time how Airmen prepare to deploy to austere locations and work together setting up and sustaining bases.
For seven days, four members of the Croatian army not only observed specialists like civil engineers, services, logistics, medics and personnelists as they received classroom and field training, but they also had the opportunity to take part in many contingency scenarios.
“This is the first time we have been able to provide this type of familiarization training to the Croatians,” said Maj. Matthew Rochon, a civil engineer assigned to the USAFE Plans and Program Directorate.
Major Rochon is also assigned to the newly established 16F career field as a regional affairs specialist, so he knows the full importance of meeting the USAFE priority.
“Now that building partnerships has been designated a priority, we are finding there is an immediate effect. We have had several NATO countries express interest in coming to this type of training,” he said.
With 61,000 military members, the Croatian army is small compared to the Department of Defense; however, Croatia is one of 28 NATO and 14 non-NATO countries that stand alongside the U.S. in support of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
“Many of our partnering and future partner countries either have small militaries or no Air Force whatsoever, but they can help support our mission by providing those service support functions like airfield repair or setting up utility systems,” Major Rochon said. “By helping us set up and maintain a bare base, they free up our resources to continue other mission related tasks.”
As USAFE and the Department of Defense continue adapting to ensure forces are correctly postured to provide the support required for Overseas Contingency Operations, they are also seeking opportunities to train alongside NATO partners as they prepare to undertake deployments enabling more effective support of combatant commanders.
“I am simply amazed by this experience,” said Croatian army Pvt. 1st Class Goran Volf. “Our Army is still young and developing. Everything here is so organized, and the people are very knowledgeable. We have learned so much in a short time.”
And the skills they acquired here are the same skills they can use in their Croatian units.
“I lead a section in my unit that handles water purification at home,” said 2nd Lt. Sabina Sacer, Croatian army platoon commander. “This is the first cross-nation training we have done, and this is the type of training I can use in my platoon.”
After a week’s worth of training and working together, relationships had clearly been established. But more importantly, a simple understanding of each other’s military was created.
“I was a little surprised,” said Staff Sgt. Maurice Wakins, 94th Civil Engineer Squadron technician from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. “To tell you the truth, before this training I couldn’t tell you where Croatia is on the map. I think they are leaving this training with an understanding of how our military works, and I have gained a knowledge and appreciation not only for their culture, but their
support of our culture.”
