By Staff Sgt. Diandra J. Harrell
Brig. Gen. Timothy Daugherty, left, deputy chief of staff for U.S. Army Europe, addresses participants about the importance of training during an Exercise Saber Guardian 2017 rehearsal of concept drill at the Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria, June 29, 2017. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Diandra J. Harrell)
4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria — Allies, distinguished visitors and leaders from Operation Atlantic Resolve and U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) came together June 29, 2017, at Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria for the Exercise Saber Guardian 2017 rehearsal of concept drill.
“A rehearsal of concept (ROC) drill is the last opportunity before starting an operation where the commander is able to express his intent for the mission and allow all subordinate organizations within that mission to understand exactly what he wants and how to achieve it,” said British Army exchange officer Lt. Col. Georges Strachan-Heyes, 4th Infantry Division plans officer and deputy chief of staff for Multi-National Division Saber Guardian.
Brig. Gen. Christopher Donahue, deputy commanding general of the Mission Command Element- Atlantic Resolve and 4th Infantry Division, hosted the ROC drill, which was led by Soldiers of the 4th Inf. Div. Headquarters. Brig. Gen. Timothy Daugherty, USAREUR deputy chief of staff-operations, attended and observed the event in preparation for the July 11-20 exercise.
Saber Guardian 2017 aims to assure allies and partners of the enduring U.S. commitment to the collective defense and prosperity of the Black Sea region, enable the alliance’s command and control functions, and reinforce deterrence measures agreed to by NATO allies at the Warsaw Summit in 2016.
As the division-level headquarters for USAREUR, the MCE-AR provides mission command of all U.S. ground forces conducting operations in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Those forces are conducting enhanced multinational training and security cooperation activities that include bilateral training with eastern European Allies, including multinational exercises such as Saber Guardian 2017.
“Exercise Saber Guardian has been in planning for well over a year since the initial concept,” said Strachan-Heyes. As we get closer to the actual exercise, the details and planning get more and more complicated. The ROC drill is the culmination of all that planning.”
Leaders discuss Exercise Saber Guardian 2017 during a rehearsal of concept drill at the Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, June 29, 2017. The largest of the Black Sea region exercises, Saber Guardian will involve about 25,000 forces from more than 20 allied and partner nations from July 11-20, 2017, in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Diandra J. Harrell)
Brig. Gen. Tudorica Petrache, Romanian deputy exercise director for Saber Guardian; Brig. Gen. Szabo, Laszlszo, Hungarian deputy exercise director for Saber Guardian; Col. Christopher R. Norrie, commander, 3rd Armor Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div; Col. Clair A. Gill, commander, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division; plus leadership from 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command; 21st Theater Sustainment Command; NATO representatives; and other organizations also attended the ROC drill.
As Exercise Saber Guardian draws closer, rehearsals give organizations a chance to practice how they plan to execute the exercise, according to Petrache.
“It is very important that we go through the exercise step by step to ensure everyone — U.S., Romanian, Bulgarian, and Hungarian (forces) — has a clear understanding of the plan,” said Petrache. “Rehearsals are critical with all operations and exercises. They are even more significant when there are multinational participants involved.”
Exercise Saber Guardian 17 will involve forces from more than 20 allied and partner nations to include Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.
The annual U.S. European Command exercise led by USAREUR will take place in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, and is the largest of the Black Sea region exercises.
“This exercise is about more than just deterrence,” said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commanding general, USAREUR. It’s about testing new concepts and refining those concepts … what the multinational division-Saber Guardian is doing is helping … to strength the alliance and our efficiency in deterrence.”
The efforts of the 4th Inf. Div. Soldiers ares not lost on Strachan-Hayes.
“Everyone in the 4th Infantry Division should be very proud of what they are doing in the Black Sea region,” he said. “The scale of this exercise gives the division the opportunity to increase deterrence measures and add to the rich history of the division.”