Exercise showcases multinational effort to bolster ‘Ready Garrison’ security in Europe

Military and civilian security leaders from U.S., Belgian, French, Romanian, and U.K. military contingents gather April 16 for a tabletop exercise conducted by the Army Support Activity-Black Sea Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection team. The day-long event drew together U.S., Belgian, French, Romanian, and U.K. partners to walk through a scenario that practiced the cooperation and support each provides in a given situation. ASA-Black Sea is assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, which also oversees the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria.

Force protection and joint interoperability took center stage April 16 during a tabletop exercise conducted by the Army Support Activity-Black Sea Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection team. The day-long event drew together U.S., Belgian, French, Romanian, and U.K. partners to walk through a scenario that practiced the cooperation and support each provides in a given situation.

The exercise also saw the formal activation of the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, Installation Operations Center, which allows for round-the-clock security efforts staffed by a multinational team. Force and Health Protection are key priorities item for ASA-Black Sea, a site aligned under U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, that include anti-terrorism measures, law enforcement, and other large-scale emergencies.

“As ASA-Black Sea continues to move its force protection forward, we continue to work closely with our multinational partners and U.S. teams to ensure our readiness is a strength we can all count on in the event of an emergent event,” said John P. Smith III, chief of the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security at MK Air Base. “We will continue to refine and hone our skills.”

Major Joshua Dusing, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, discusses security procedures with a counterpart during a tabletop exercise April 16 conducted by the Army Support Activity-Black Sea Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection team. The day-long event drew together U.S., Belgian, French, Romanian, and U.K. partners to walk through a scenario that practiced the cooperation and support each provides in a given situation. ASA-Black Sea is assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, which also oversees the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Luis A. Gamarra, 2nd Cavlary Regiments, looks at a computer screen in the Installation Operations Center at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania. Gamarra and the newly created IOC were part of a tabletop exercise April 16 conducted by the Army Support Activity-Black Sea Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection team. The IOC allows for round-the-clock security efforts staffed by a multinational team. The day-long event drew together U.S., Belgian, French, Romanian, and U.K. partners to walk through a scenario that practiced the cooperation and support each provides in a given situation. ASA-Black Sea is assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, which also oversees the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria.
A Romanian air force officer discusses base security procedures April 16 during a tabletop exercise April 16 conducted by the Army Support Activity-Black Sea Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection team. The day-long event drew together U.S., Belgian, French, Romanian, and U.K. partners to walk through a scenario that practiced the cooperation and support each provides in a given situation. ASA-Black Sea is assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, which also oversees the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria.