Airmen join nations in exercise

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Phillip Ulmer
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (AFPN) --  More than 70 airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases arrived here Sept. 1 for Exercise Cooperative Key 2003. They joined servicemembers from eight NATO nations and 12 partner nations.

According to officials here, the goal of the exercise is to enhance the interoperability of NATO and partner nation air forces through cooperation and familiarization of the organization’s procedures.

“This exercise … is a great opportunity for us to practice peace-support operations in a combined scenario,” said Lt. Col. Ben McMullen, Air Expeditionary Group commander. McMullen is deployed from the 86th Contingency Response Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

“Everyone involved, at all levels of rank and specialties, will have the opportunity to work with their counterparts from other nations,” he said. “What is learned here will be invaluable to the common goal of peace as we deal with the uncertainty of today’s world.”

The exercise primarily takes place at two air bases in the central region of Bulgaria, Graf Ignatievo and Krumovo. The scenario, involving approximately 1,700 servicemembers and more than 70 aircraft, focuses on an ongoing mandated NATO peace-support operation. Two fictional former warring factions are in an unstable peace. A NATO-led peace-support operation with partner nation participation, is in place to enforce the peace and provide humanitarian assistance.

The exercise will help the participating countries’ ability to execute command and control, personnel airdrops, land operations, close-air support, aeromedical evacuation, air defense, and search and rescue.

“This type of operation is exactly what the 86th Contingency Response Group was designed for,” said Capt. Chris Miller, 86th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron’s tanker airlift control element commander.

The group, established in February 1999, maintains a standing multifunctional air mobility operation, force protection and medical team dedicated to rapidly unfolding contingencies and the deployment of initial forces.

“As the aerial port arm of the group, we’re responsible for the efficient handling and movement of all passengers and cargo for the exercise,” he said.

However, Miller explained that it takes everyone involved to get the job done, and cooperation is the key of this exercise.

“Anytime you bring this many different people from so many different countries together for a single mission, you’re going to face challenges,” Miller said. “But everyone is working together to make sure the mission gets done safely.”

“This can be considered as one more step forward in improving the interoperability of the Bulgarian armed forces with their NATO partners,” said Lt. Gen. Dimitar Georgiev, chief of Bulgarian air force headquarters.

Live exercises are essential to NATO and partner nations’ forces, officials said. They provide the environment for troops to practice NATO procedures, improve their capabilities by training in a different environment, and amplify the existing level of interoperability.

“These types of exercises are an important cornerstone to our ‘train-like-we-fight’ mentality,” said McMullen. “They provide an excellent realistic-training environment with our NATO allies to build the cohesiveness we’ll need to face the challenges ahead.”

The exercise is scheduled to end Sept. 13. (Courtesy of USAFE News Service)