Approximately 250 soldiers, from the Romanian Land Forces, are participating in the multinational Exercise Combined Resolve IV to improve operations in a coalition structure alongside NATO allies and European partners.
Since 2003, the Romanian Land Forces have deployed three times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and once in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In all four deployments, the Romanians worked alongside U.S. and other coalition forces. The Romanians have participated in all of the Combined Resolve exercises and are regularly one of the largest European armies represented at U.S. Army Europe-led training events.
“This training has been very important to improving our ability to work with other nations,” said 1st Lt. Adrian Halip, a platoon leader from 1st Company, 151st Infantry Battalion.
“Our biggest challenge is synchronizing our tactics and this allows us to improve on that,” Halip said.
Throughout Combined Resolve IV, 1st Company of the 151st Infantry Battalion is operating within a Bulgarian Battalion and alongside U.S. Soldiers. This multinational effort strives to increase interoperability between NATO allies.
In addition to improving operations with other nations, Combined Resolve IV has provide the Romanian Land Forces with diverse terrain to conduct its field training.
“Training at Hohenfels forces us to adapt our standard operating procedures because the terrain is hillier and has more trees than where we train in Romania,” said Master Sgt. Jon Fortu, platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon.
“The newer Soldiers did not expect it to be this challenging and they have already learned a lot,” Fortu said.
The Romanians are seeing both sides of the simulated battle in Hohenfels. More than 100 Romanian soldiers are operating alongside the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, acting as the opposing forces, also known as OPFOR, for the exercise. This opportunity gives Romanian Land Forces additional training on how to conduct force-on-force exercises when they return to Romania.
Throughout the eight days of force-on-force exercises, the Romanians seek to improve unity within their unit as well as improve unity with coalition forces. Fortu believes that the night missions will be the most demanding, but also the most beneficial training for all nations.
The Combined Resolve IV exercise consists of more than 4,700 participants from 13 nations. The exercise, which takes place May 17-June 6, focuses on maneuver training and force-on-force exercises at Hohenfels and continues with a combined arms live-fire exercise at the U.S. Army training area in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
Combined Resolve is a series of bi-annual U.S. Army Europe exercises designed to train participants to function together in a multinational and integrated environment and train U.S. Army rotational forces to Europe to be more flexible, agile and better able to operate alongside allies and partners in the region.
