The multinational exercise “SABER JUNCTION 2024”, conducted between the end of August and mid-September in the HOHENFELS (D) training area, ended in recent days. The Army took part in the exercise with 34 officers, non-commissioned officers and multinational division - south (MND-S), with over 210 Paratroopers of the brigade thunderbolt, with a company command, a C1 tank platoon Ram and logistical assets of the 4th tank regiment of the “Garibaldi” bersaglieri brigade.
For the MND-S personnel, “SABER JUNCTION 2024” represented a unique opportunity to apply NATO procedures targeting, management of air assets and fire support in favor of the brigade combat team (BCT), training in a multinational environment and in a scenario of warfighting against an equal enemy.
The Italian unit, of the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi", under the command of the 1 4th infantry battalion warriors American, conducted a continuous exercise for a period of 10 days, operating in a compartmentalized environment, integrating with US and allied units. The tank unit of the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi" was actively engaged in different missions, both in offensive and defensive tactical activities, as Opposing Forces.
The Paratroopers Brigade thunderbolt deployed personnel from the 187th paratrooper regiment "Folgore", supported by a forward support coy of the “Folgore” logistics regiment, with a tactical group command, leading a multinational Task Force, and two smaller complexes.
Over the course of a total of 20 days, the multinational exercise saw the paratroopers plan, prepare and conduct defensive and offensive tactical acts in highly realistic high-intensity combat scenarios and in a particularly challenging environment in terms of weather conditions and territorial extension.
The “SABER JUNCTION” is an annual exercise conducted by the 7th Army Training Command, directed byUS Army Europe and Africa (SETAF), designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to conduct high-intensity land operations and to promote interoperability with participating allied and partner nations.
For the MND-S, the exercise was a further test bench in view of the upcoming engagements which will see the command employed in the role of land component command (LCC) within the scope of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) of NATO.
At the end of the multinational exercise, Sergeant Marcello Sfogli of the 187th Parachute Regiment “Folgore” was awarded the “Hero of Hohenfels” prize for having particularly distinguished himself in the conduct of the many tactical activities for his qualities of courage, leadership and spirit of initiative.
