Lt. Col. Jesper Ekman-Sorensen, left, Denmark Army Staff and Army Combat and Fire Support Centre, and Maj. Royce Baker, right, chief of fires, 4th Infantry Division Mission Command Element, discuss possible combined training opportunities for Danish and U.S. artillery, May 10-12, 2016, at the MCE headquarters in Baumholder, Germany. Baker coordinated the meetings to find ways to increase interoperability between Danish artillery and U.S. forces working as part of Atlantic Resolve. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Diandra Harrell)
By Staff Sgt. Diandra Harrell
4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — The 4th Infantry Division Mission Command Element’s fires section hosted an artillery delegation May 10-12, 2016, from the Denmark Army Staff and Army Combat and Fire Support Centre to discuss possible combined interoperability training opportunities.
The event was coordinated to identify opportunities for Danish artillerymen to train with U.S. gunnery forces in the future.
“Our purpose here was to investigate the option of 4th. Inf. supporting the Danish Army with an artillery exchange,” said Lt. Col. Jesper Ekman-Sorensen. “The Danish Army currently has limited artillery capabilities, and to maintain operational proficiency, we wanted to look at what options are available for our crews to train with U.S. forces until we acquire a new artillery system.”
Maj. Royce Baker, MCE chief of fires, and his section members discussed potential courses of action for training at the individual through battery levels.
“We looked at the Danish force modernization over the next several years and discussed fire support combined training objectives. We also discussed a long-range training calendar crosswalk between both U.S. rotational forces and Danish forces, identifying windows of opportunity for combined fires interoperability training,” Baker said.
The 4th Inf. Div. MCE is the regionally allocated division headquarters providing mission command of all U.S. ground forces conducting multi-national training and security cooperation activities with NATO units in support of U.S. Army Europe’s Operation Atlantic Resolve.
Although no concrete decisions were established during these initial meetings, this was still a great opportunity to enhance the alliance between another military that works with Atlantic Resolve’s regionally allocated forces, Baker said.
“There is still much to be discussed at higher levels, but anytime we have the opportunity to talk face to face helps to synchronize efforts and build relationships, which benefits both organizations,” he added.
Baker said the MCE is currently working toward realizing full digital interoperability among U.S., Danish and other allied artillery fire support systems.