EXERCISE
DACIAN GUARDIAN
By LANDCOM and MND-SE PAO
A contingent of LANDCOM personnel joined Exercise DACIAN GUARDIAN 17 at the Headquarters of NATO Multinational Division-South East ( MND-SE ) to serve as the commands higher echelon and exercise LANDCOM ’ s readiness to deploy a headquarters element to conduct land operations and synchronize the command and control of NATO land forces .
Exercise DACIAN GUARDIAN 17 in Bucharest , Romania , was a command post , computer-assisted exercise . It exercised MND-SE in its ability to command Bulgarian and Romanian manoeuvre brigades in order to enhance interoperability , build readiness , demonstrate capability , and reinforce deterrence measures in Europe .
In the exercise , MND-SE commanded four brigades which included two Romanian brigades , the 282nd Mechanized Brigade located in the Joint National Training Center in Cincu , Romania , and the 9th Mechanized Brigade , located in HQ MND-SE barracks .
The third brigade was the Multinational Brigade South East , also located in HQ MND-SE barracks , and the fourth brigade was the 61st Bulgarian Mechanized Brigade located in Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria . In the exercise HQ MND-SE personnel were supported by the 2nd Portuguese PANDUR Battalion as enabling unit .
The exercise was a component of SABER GUARDIAN 2017 , the largest of the Black Sea training events this summer , conducted in partnership between NATO and the US Army Forces in Europe . That larger exercise , with over 25,000 personnel , was taking place at numerous locations throughout Bulgaria , Hungary and Romania , being a training venue for the collective defense , increasing partner capacity and improving interoperability .
“ This exercise is beneficial to both LAND- COM and Multinational Division South East Headquarters ,” said Chief Warrant Officer Stephen Rice , LANDCOMs Senior Enlisted Advisor . “ It allows us to exercise our ability to serve as a higher headquarters for MND-SE which is extremely helpful to the subordinate command as the primary training audience , and it exercises LANDCOM ’ s ability to deploy a small portion of the headquarters to serve as a command and control node for the conduct and synchronization of land operations .” For LANDCOM , Exercise DACIAN GUARDIAN is one of several stepping stones leading up to its own evaluation Exercise TRIDENT JAVELIN , which will occur in November of this year primarily at the Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger , Norway .
The comprehensive support offered by LANDCOM at Exercise DACIAN GUARDIAN 17 , helps contribute to the development of the current NATO assurance and deterrence capabilities , and enhances NATO aptitude to keep a safe and secure environment within the Southeast region of NATO .
“ I think the training was mutually beneficial for all involved ,” said Rice . “ These types of opportunities help both the higher and lower command , and I think this is definitely something we should sustain in the future .”
8 LAND POWER