Exercise Noble Sword Wildflecken (GE)

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1 (GE/NL) Corps Stimulates NATO Units

From 7 through to 22 June, a major international exercise took place in Wildflecken, Germany. During the exercise, the headquarters of 1 (GE/NL) Corps (1GNC) trained German, Dutch and Norwegian units. The HQ, parts of which have been deployed several times to the ISAF HQ in Kabul, trained the 1 (GE) Division from Hanover in preparation of its deployment as HQ Regional Command North within ISAF in 2011. An excellent opportunity for the experts from 1 GNC to share with their German partners the many lessons learned and experiences gained with ISAF’s comprehensive approach.

In addition to the German division, 13 (Netherlands) Brigade from Oirschot and a Norwegian brigade also took part in the exercise. Both units used the exercise to prepare for their role in the upcoming European Battle Group. The Netherlands provides units and headquarters for this.

In name, 1 GNC seems binational but in reality it is a multinational headquarters that is home to twelve nationalities. The HQ is one of NATO’s rapidly deployable headquarters (High-Readiness HQ) and as a Land Component Command it can lead combined and joint operations in a mission area within 20-30 days after a political decision has been taken.

For the Netherlands, 1 GNC is unique for other reasons as well.  It provides an opportunity to train units at brigade level during exercises and an unparallel range of possibilities for Dutch military personnel of all ranks to train for working at the international operational level (NATO procedures, decision-making processes at levels above battalion/brigade, speaking/writing military English jargon as well as gaining experience in general).