U.S. Army Europe
June 8, 2015
Heidesturm Shock brings US, German armies together for bridging operation
By U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs
STORKAU, Germany: The U.S. Army conducted combined assault river crossing operations with the Bundeswehr’s, or German army’s, M3 amphibious bridging vehicles on the Elbe River, during Exercise Heidesturm Shock, near here, June 6.
Exercise Heidestrum Shock is a part of Army Europe’s larger Freedom Shock program, designed to train, validate and sustain readiness.
The vehicles involved with the bridging operation included M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles as well as various trucks and vehicles from Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd U.S. Infantry Division. Elements from the 3rd Inf. Div., based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, are the Army’s current regionally aligned force for Europe.
The exercise began with an unannounced deployment readiness exercise, which can include telephonic phone alerts and musters in order to enable commanders to train, mobilize and deploy their units at a moment’s notice anywhere in the European are of operation in support of the Army Europe commanding general’s Strong Europe construct.
This training also improves unit interoperability and ensures NATO forces can work together quickly with little or no notice.
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About Us: U.S. Army Europe is uniquely positioned in its 51-country area of responsibility to advance American strategic interests in Europe and Eurasia. The relationships built during the more that 1,000 theater security cooperation events, held in more than 40 countries each year, lead directly to support for multinational contingency operations around the world, strengthen regional partnerships and enhance global security.
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