Posted on Aug 1, 2015
How many of you have participated in an ODT (Overseas Deployment Training) exercise and what was your best part of the experience?
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1SG Jeffrey Grice. While I was stationed in West Germany during the Cold War, I participated in two Reforger Exercises which were designed to be representative of flowing forces and materiel to Western Europe to interdict the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact assault on western Europe. We represented larger formations in these exercises which tended to be TOC exercises with a few tactical formations going through tactical maneuvers. Once we assisted umpires who were primarily focused on assessing damages to German everything from land to animals to crops and buildings and the all-important damage control.
SPC (Join to see), COL Jon Thompson, SPC Margaret Higgins,SGT Ricky Young, 1SG Cameron M. Wesson, COL James Stevens Roach, SGT Forrest Stewart, COL Monty Powers, LTC Stephen C., TSgt Hunter Logan, CW3 (Join to see), CW5 Charlie Poulton, CW5 (Join to see), SGT (Join to see), SGT Robert Hawks
I attached a few pictures from Reforger 1981 from we were just west of Giessen, Germany - my driver SP4 Sims with distinctive controller helmet bands, AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter and OH-58 Observation Helicopter in the near distance and "my" jeep with the results of a morning brotchen run – breakfast on the hood of the jeep.
Plus one picture from a winter exercise near Regensburg, West Germany in 1982 at a brigade-level Maneuver Rights Operation with me in winder gear with a light mustache:-)
SPC (Join to see), COL Jon Thompson, SPC Margaret Higgins,SGT Ricky Young, 1SG Cameron M. Wesson, COL James Stevens Roach, SGT Forrest Stewart, COL Monty Powers, LTC Stephen C., TSgt Hunter Logan, CW3 (Join to see), CW5 Charlie Poulton, CW5 (Join to see), SGT (Join to see), SGT Robert Hawks
I attached a few pictures from Reforger 1981 from we were just west of Giessen, Germany - my driver SP4 Sims with distinctive controller helmet bands, AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter and OH-58 Observation Helicopter in the near distance and "my" jeep with the results of a morning brotchen run – breakfast on the hood of the jeep.
Plus one picture from a winter exercise near Regensburg, West Germany in 1982 at a brigade-level Maneuver Rights Operation with me in winder gear with a light mustache:-)
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SGT Robert Hawks
I participated in REFORGER in West Germany and in two joint training exercises with the Candaian Army at Camp Wayneright Canda.
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SSG Gerald King
I participated in 3 reforgers including the original one in 1968/69. The last one I was in was in 1975 and I had a three man team and we set up with the Germany Army. Some good stories to tell about that experience.
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SGT Neil Murray
Reforger 1977 2/75th Ranger BN during October-fest. Great Times, good training and got me some West German jump wings!
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In 1999, I went back to Germany to participate in a V Corps Warfighter Exercise. I was the XO of a USAR PSYOP Battalion and the Commander and battalion staff all went. I should have known it was going to be interesting when V Corps did not want USAR units to bring weapons due to the difficulties of getting them through German Customs, etc. However, our PSYOP Group said otherwise and we brought weapons. They got stuck in Customs and then we got to Graf, we had to find a unit that would store them for us. We did not have our own billets and were all split up wherever we could find an open bunk. The weather sucked so we were all wet and muddy. And then I had a brand new MOPP suit filled with the charcoal so I walked around like Pigpen with a cloud of charcoal dust. Still when it was over, we had a day in Nuernburg and that was a good way to end the exercise with some good German beer next to the old castle walls. The big lesson learned for me was to always have lower expectations and that way if it turned out better, I would be happy. I thought I was going to Germany and have some fun and it ended up being anything but that.
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COL Jon Thompson
16th POB here. I did get to Italy for a 15th POB mission when they did not have any field grade officers that could go.
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1SG Jeffrey Grice
Great picture COL Jon Thompson , that alone brings back some memories. Sounds like quite the ordeal just to get established for the Warfighter, not the way you want to start it off for sure. At least the day out (and beverages) ended it well.
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MSG (Join to see)
I really got a kick out of Col Thompsons' post about the weapons. I was the Supply Sgt for a Supply & Service Co (AGR). We went to REFORGER 1982 (our second one) with weapons. After the exercise was over, we spent two nights in a holding area complete with a German Fest beer tent. My CO told me to find a place to secure our weapons. I found the CSM and he said he had a conex. I looked inside and (I swear) it looked like a dump truck unloaded M16's. I asked him how we could tell which weapons were ours and he said (I swear) tie blue ribbons on the muzzle. I told my CO "no freakin way". We kept our weapons and hit the beer tent in shifts. What scared the hell out of me was the tankers were coming out of the woods and hitting the beer tent and carrying their little grease guns. The first REFORGER, I was on advance party and hooked up with our Active Duty Liaison. He told us in no uncertain terms, how much he hated Reservists. We begged for some kind of a mission, but no go. He pointed out a building and said that's where you can set up your castle and wine tours. We didn't see him again for two weeks. I could go on about other REFORGERS. Like the time me and my assistant were trying to deliver rations to forward supply platoons in a jeep and trailer and got lost and wound up on a German University Campus while they were protesting our giving the Germans Pershing missiles. Thank God the Polezi showed up and got us back to the Kasern. Oh the memories.
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MSG (Join to see)
If you ever want to break every rule in the book on fraternization, fly in the back of C-141. All of us cuddled up just to keep warm.
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I participated in a very good EUCOM exercise in Germany at Graf in spring 2012. It was very worthwhile and allowed for local travel in Germany and the Czech Republic. I deployed to most of Asia (Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Philipines, Guam and the Hawaiian Islands) when on active duty and Iraq and Kuwait as a reservist. The European ODT was worthwhile.
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1SG Jeffrey Grice
Always great LTC Gavin Heater when they allow some time to take in a little bit of the local environment. Since you have been most of the PACOM AOR, sure you know the majority of the ODTs that occur year to year.
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1SG (Join to see)
Ahh Graf! My last one was in January of my AD tour in the 90's, on a rifle qual range as a Safety all day, with the snow coming down diagonally thanks to the wind.
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Currently supporting the national security directive by promoting regional stability and host nation development. Yes, thats straight out of the book.lol
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Going on ODTs were one of my main reasons for staying in the Army Reserve. I went on quite a few adventures as a CPT/ MAJ including Cobra Gold, Balance Torch, Balance Velvet, and UFL many times. Now I arrange for them for my troops in EUCOM and AFRICOM. They are the best training ground for young leaders, even more so than CTC Rotations since that leadership is usually out alone and unafraid and needs to make decisions outside of a structured environment.
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1SG Jeffrey Grice
I totally agree BG (Join to see) , the training value is generally very high. We are involved in Cobra Gold every year, mainly because Thailand is our State Partnership country. Our SOF get to participate in quite a few as well. UFL (now called UFG) is a PACOM priority, but still tough to get units to commit to wanting to go to Korea. We have a number of units going out very soon to support UFG. I am trying to get a small foothold in AFRICOM as well, some great opportunities there. Thanks for the post Sir.
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While my V Corps WFX was the worst, the most interesting was actually when in 1994 when I was stationed at Fort Greely, AK with the Northern Warfare Training Center. Every year, we did a multi-national climb on Denali and invited Soldiers from the Royal Nepalese Army to participate. They reciprocated by inviting NWTC to send a couple of instructors to Nepal and partake in their Mountain school's graduation climb on Thorang Himal which was above 22,000'. So in 1994, one of my NCO instructors and I flew into Katmandu and after a couple of days there, we started a trek through the Himalayas to their training center. We were on mountain paths for about 100 miles with villages as stops along the way. We got to the town where their mountain school was and a few days later, we summited Thorang Himal. After the celebration, my NCO and I flew back to Katmandu on a Russian made helicopter. It was a unique experience and one that I never imagined doing when I was an ROTC cadet.
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1SG Jeffrey Grice
That sounds like a once in a lifetime opportunity COL Jon Thompson , I am sure the stops along the 100 mile trek to the villages were amazing! We are participating in an exchange with Denmark soon, wish it was a reciprocating one, maybe in the future, but at least I get to send 15 of our finest there to train.
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1SG Jeffrey Grice, I went on a number of them. These two photos are from the first and the last.
The first was WINTEX in MAR83. This was a Cold War exercise conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany (prior to reunification). I'm shown near the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, which overlooks the city of Heidelberg and the River Neckar from the south.
The last was Operation Bright Star in AUG87. We were at Cairo West Air Base in Giza (west of Cairo), Egypt. The photo was taken at Cairo West, which was at the eastern edge of the Libyan Desert.
The best part of these exercises was seeing different parts of the world.
The first was WINTEX in MAR83. This was a Cold War exercise conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany (prior to reunification). I'm shown near the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, which overlooks the city of Heidelberg and the River Neckar from the south.
The last was Operation Bright Star in AUG87. We were at Cairo West Air Base in Giza (west of Cairo), Egypt. The photo was taken at Cairo West, which was at the eastern edge of the Libyan Desert.
The best part of these exercises was seeing different parts of the world.
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1SG (Join to see)
LTC Stephen C. I didn't get to Heidelberg until '92. Did they have the giant wine cask in the lower level when you were there?
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LTC Stephen C.
1SG (Join to see), the Great Heidelberg Tun has been there forever. However, we were touring at a rather fast pace (all we had was the afternoon), so we didn't go in the castle at all, and dropped down into the city.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen C. - Forever is a very long time my friend :-)
There have been a few barrels under the foundations of the castle of Heidelberg but the present Heidelberg Tun, sometimes called the “largest wine barrel in the world” was built in 1751 by the Prince Elector Karl Theodor. It is 23 feet high and 27 feet wide capable of holding 55,000 gallons of wine, though has been dry for a few centuries and reportedly took 30 oak trees to construct. 1SG (Join to see)
Source: http://www.bargaintraveleurope.com/11/Germany_Giant_Wine_Barrel_Heidelberg.htm
There have been a few barrels under the foundations of the castle of Heidelberg but the present Heidelberg Tun, sometimes called the “largest wine barrel in the world” was built in 1751 by the Prince Elector Karl Theodor. It is 23 feet high and 27 feet wide capable of holding 55,000 gallons of wine, though has been dry for a few centuries and reportedly took 30 oak trees to construct. 1SG (Join to see)
Source: http://www.bargaintraveleurope.com/11/Germany_Giant_Wine_Barrel_Heidelberg.htm
Giant Wine Barrel of Heidelberg Castle - Heidelberg Tun - Perkeo Legend and the World's Biggest...
Giant Wine Barrel of Heidelberg Castle - Heidelberg Tun - Perkeo Legend and the World's Biggest Wine Barrel
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LTC Stephen C.
Absolutely correct, LTC Stephen F.! I was just generalizing! I think the Tun that is there now is the fourth since the 1700s!
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Went to Hohenfels in 2012. Favorite part of the trip? I don't know. Either driving pickets in the snow, or sitting on top of a hill shivering on two hour watch shifts for 2 days, because somebody said, "Oh, we have engineers? I don't know what to do with them." Or something like that. I did have a ton of fun, though we actually had little opportunity to train.
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1SG Jeffrey Grice
Sounds a little about the wrong place at the wrong time. Glad in the end it turned out better with a chance to train!
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I participated in Cobra Gold' 98 (Thailand) and UFL' 97 (ROK). It was a great ODT exercise. I was able to use my language skill in Thai during Cobra Gold. I worked in the C/JTF J-6 HQ in Kanchanaburi Province. I led a III MEF Maintenance team to replace a generator at our Communications Relay Site which was three hours drive from our HQ. I enjoyed the training with Thai Soldiers. They are nice and friendly.
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1SG Jeffrey Grice
Couple great exercises LTC Tony Temsupasiri . With Thailand being our State Partnership program country, we send Soldiers there every year for Cobra Gold and Hanuman Guardian. Also, being a Pacific Rim State (WA), we participate a lot with Korea.
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