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Navy Reservists Excel at Allied Action 05

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050615-11
Release Date: 6/15/2005 3:52:00 PM

By Cmdr. Jeff Chapman, NR Supreme Allied Command - Transformation, Det. 113 Public Affairs

SANT CLIMENT, Spain (NNS) -- Navy Reservists from across the nation came together to support Allied Action 05 April 3-May 31 in San Climent, Spain, NATO’s largest exercise aimed at training the NATO Response Force (NRF).

More than 3,500 participants from 24 NATO member countries and 3 Partnership for Peace countries took part in the two-month exercise. More than 200 Navy Reservists participated in the exercise, many from the Naval Expeditionary Support Forces, consisting of Sailors from two Service Support Battalions and seven Cargo Handling Battalions, some of which had just returned from duty in Kuwait.

“There is no way that we could’ve completed this exercise without the support of the U.S. Navy Reserve,” said Royal Army Col. Simon Hutchinson, chief, Allied Action 05 Real Life Support. “The dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of the U.S. Navy Reserve is noticeable when compared to any other group of service members here, and has me looking forward and requesting more Navy Reserve support for exercises upcoming in the next two years.”

In the Exercise Control (EXCON) spaces, Navy Reservists filled many parts, from exercise “white cell” coordinators, to air response cell leadership, to day and night shift watch supervisors.

“Somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 percent of the EXCON manning was provided by the Navy Reserve over the past four weeks,” said Capt. T.C. Skeels, Supreme Allied Command - Transportation, Det. 113, Battle Creek, Mich. "The majority of the Navy Reservists have had previous joint experience, and bring the joint flavor to this exercise,” he added.

Allied Action 05 allowed participants to practice the activation and deployment of the NATO Response Force. The NRF is a coherent, high readiness, joint, multinational force package, technologically advanced, deployable, sustainable and fully interoperable.

“It is exciting to join the many talented men and women of NATO and Partnership for Peace countries to train in a multiforce environment to increase our collective security capabilities,” said German Army Brig. Gen. J. Fischer, chief of staff for Exercise Control, attached to NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway.

At the NRF Exercise Steadfast Jackpot in 2006, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe will declare the NRF combat ready.