USAREUR Soldiers to take part in Joint Task Force-East Proof of Principle exercise; Opening Ceremony set for August 17

Press Release         
15 August, 2007

Approximately 100 United States Army, Europe (USAREUR) Soldiers have arrived at Forward Operating Site Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base (FOS MKAB), Romania, to prepare for the Joint Task Force-East (JTF-E) proof of principle (PoP) exercise. 

Roughly 1,000 U.S. Soldiers and civilian employees, all normally stationed in Italy and Germany, will participate in the PoP exercise, which is scheduled to take place August 17 to October 22. The exercise will build interoperability and military relationships with our partners in the War on Terrorism and NATO members Romania and Bulgaria, and test command and control capabilities required for future Brigade-level deployments to JTF-E.

Soldiers from HQ USAREUR and the 1st Armored Division – to include 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery, Baumholder, Germany – as well as Soldiers from the Southern European Task Force, will be part of a joint headquarters that will also include personnel from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy Seabees and host nation forces.

The 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Soldiers will also take part in various training events, such as Individual Small Arms and Crew-served Ranges, Squad Live Fire Exercises, Situational Training Exercises and other soldiering skills with Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts.

On April 28, 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement, which refers to the conditions for the shared use of several military facilities on Bulgarian territory.  The Agreement was ratified by the Bulgarian Parliament on May 26 and entered into force on June 12, 2006.  The U.S. has also signed a similar agreement with the Republic of Romania, and the military units deployed to both Bulgaria and Romania will be known as Joint Task Force–East.  The Agreement refers to the joint use by Bulgarian and American military of three main Bulgarian military facilities – Novo Selo Training Area, near Sliven, Bezmer AB, near Yambol and Graf Ignatievo AB, near Plovdiv.