# Troops bound for Afghanistan, Iraq train together in Europe



## tomahawk6 (20 Sep 2008)

Canadian Army Soldiers from the 5th Platoon, 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment, 'stack up' as they prepare to clear the final room of the Geroldsee Shoothouse during the live-fire rotation of their Military Operations on Urban Terrain training on Sept. 18, 2008, as part of Cooperative Spirit 2008. The American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Armies' Program is conducting the Cooperative Spirit training event to test and close the gaps in interoperability between the nations.
(Photographer: Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Davio : 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)





Canadian Army Sgt Rob McGregor, 1st Section Commander, 5th Platoon, 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment, trains his C-782 rifle on a corner of the shoot house to provide cover fire as needed for his team during the live-fire rotation of their Military Operations on Urban Terrain training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center shoothouse on Sept. 18, 2008, as part of Cooperative Spirit 2008. The American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Armies' Program is conducting the Cooperative Spirit training event to test and close the gaps in interoperability between the nations. The 2nd Bn. RCR training was overseen by U.S. Army observer controllers who provided instruction not normally available to Canadian Armed Forces.
(Photographer: Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Davio : 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)


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## Schafer (20 Sep 2008)

"Canadian Army Sgt Rob McGregor, 1st Section Commander, 5th Platoon, 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment, trains his C-782 rifle on a corner of the shoot house to provide cover fire as needed for his team" 

I think they made a mistake.........


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## gun runner (20 Sep 2008)

Probably rewriting from a recorded tape message as the reporter went through the training grounds. Not a biggie. Ubique


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## gaspasser (21 Sep 2008)

What I find somewhat confusing is the americanization of the unit the soldiers belong to...
"1st Section Commander, 5th Platoon, 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment"
We usually just say that "Cpl Bloggins is with the RCR" or whatever...
However, on the good side, it's good to see joint ex photos of the lads


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## tomahawk6 (21 Sep 2008)

Well the photos are from US Army PAO sources.


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## GAP (21 Sep 2008)

tomahawk6 said:
			
		

> Well the photos are from US Army PAO sources.



Yeah, and they think in terms of US units, so naturally they try to use the same or similar format here....no biggy..


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## Snakedoc (21 Sep 2008)

Great pictures, quality shots taken by the US Army PAO.


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## tomahawk6 (21 Sep 2008)

http://www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2008/09/15/12412-cooperative-spirit-international-exercise-continues-through-oct-10-in-germany/

Cooperative Spirit 2008 (CS08) is an American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand (ABCA) Armies' Program Combat Training Center (CTC) rotation to validate and test interoperability solutions developed by the ABCA Armies' Program. During CS08 from Sept. 11 to Oct. 10, units from the American, British, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand Armies will work as a coalition under an American Brigade Headquarters (HQ) in a force on force land operation.

"CS08 provides an opportunity to examine tactical and operational level interoperability in a stressful counter insurgency scenario", said Colonel Shane Amor Chief of Staff of the ABCA Armies' Program. "The key is to ensure we can effectively integrate the capabilities of our Armies in coalition operations".

This CS08 rotation will take place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) which is located in Hohenfels, Germany. The JMRC was selected because of its ability to provide realistic and demanding training in a premier multinational facility. The JMRC falls under the Joint Multinational Training Command (JMTC) located in Grafenwoehr, Germany. 

The following units are participating:
-- 3rd Brigade/2nd Infantry Division (Stryker) with the Brigade HQ + one Battalion HQ and one company (United States)
-- 1st Welsh Guards Battalion (Motorized Infantry) (United Kingdom)
-- 2nd Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) (Infantry) with a battalion HQ and two companies
-- 1st Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) (Infantry) with a battalion HQ and one company
-- 2/1st Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) (-) with one company attached to the 1 RAR
-- 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (MPAD) (United States)
-- 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (-) (United States)
-- Utah NG are providing a supporting role to provide logistics, life and administrative support

The ABCA Armies' Program evolved from the relationships forged during World War II. Its focus is to achieve interoperability using doctrine, technology and materiel solutions to close or mitigate interoperability gaps. 

CS08 will provide an excellent opportunity for all participants to work together within a challenging training environment and help prepare for success within the Afghanistan area of operations, down to individual Soldier level.


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## RangerRay (21 Sep 2008)

Is there a link for more pics?


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## tomahawk6 (21 Sep 2008)

Here's a few more.

http://dodsearch.afis.osd.mil/search?q=cooperative+spirit&sort=date%3AD%3AR%3Ad1&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&client=armytest2_frontend&x=50&y=21&oe=UTF-8&num=20&getfields=*&filter=0&proxystylesheet=armytest2_frontend


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## tomahawk6 (22 Sep 2008)

HOHENFELS, Germany, Sept. 17, 2008 - Canadian Soldiers from India Company, 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment wait for the order to begin their live fire event Wednesday during Cooperative Spirit 2008 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center near Hohenfels, Germany. Cooperative Spirit 2008 is a multinational Combat Training Center rotation intended to test interoperability among the American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Armies (ABCA). Photo bySpc. Warren W. Wright, Jr. September 22, 2008 






Soldiers from the 4th Platoon, H Company, 2nd Royal Canadian Regiment and the 209th Military Intelligence Company, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division pose for a group shot after Military Operations in Urban Terrain training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center on Sept. 12. Photo by Sgt. B. Wesley Lewis September 21, 2008


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## gun runner (23 Sep 2008)

Great pics.. nice to see our boys and girls doing the counrty proud at these competitions. PROUD OF YA!! Ubique


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## GAP (25 Sep 2008)

Troops bound for Afghanistan, Iraq train together in Europe
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS September 25, 2008, EDT.
Article Link

HOHENFELS, Germany - The language spoken by the soldiers is the same, but knowing English means little without joint training before being thrown into combat together in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That's the idea behind Joint Task Force Exercise Cooperative Spirit 2008, currently under way at the U.S. Army's Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, near the Czech border in eastern Bavaria.

About 2,000 soldiers from the U.S., British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand armies are taking part in the exercise, which began Sept. 12 and ends Oct. 5. The goal is to test the interoperability - and in some cases the standardization of processes and equipment - of the English speaking nations to work out the kinks before hitting the battlefield, where mistakes are fatal, said Col. Shane Amor, the Washington-based chief of staff of the ABCA Armies, an umbrella organization for the five militaries.

The group was formed in the aftermath of the Second World War by the U.S., Britain and Canada to keep up the close coordination between their armies; Australia joined in 1963 and New Zealand became a formal member in 2006.

"We're training with the coalition so this won't be the first time we see one another," the Australian officer told The Associated Press. "We're looking to see what the capabilities of one another's operations are so we know what each others' strengths are, and use units in the best possible way."

Amor said that also meant professional observers finding units' weaknesses and correcting them before they deployed to hostile regions.

All five countries are currently involved in the conflict in Afghanistan, while U.S., Australia and Britain also have troops in Iraq.
More on link


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## retiredgrunt45 (26 Sep 2008)

HOHENFELS, Now that brings back memories and also some of which, I can't remember?? ;D   

"Ein großes Bierfräulein und eine Flasche des Knackens"


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## TCBF (26 Sep 2008)

retiredgrunt45 said:
			
		

> HOHENFELS, Now that brings back memories and also some I can't remember?? ;D



- I never liked that place...


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## George Wallace (26 Sep 2008)

TCBF said:
			
		

> - I never liked that place...



'Cause you were in the WRONG Sqn!     ;D


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