National Guard members strengthen ties with German Armed Forces

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - Twenty-one U.S. service members traveled to Germany Sept. 8-26 to participate in a three-week military reserve exchange with the German Armed Forces, strengthening interoperability and relationships between U.S. and German reserve forces.

Participants from the National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve and Navy Reserve represented Montana, Michigan, Idaho, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, New York and Wisconsin.

The engagement began Sept. 8 in Potsdam with a welcome and mission briefing from Brig. Gen. Stefan Gruhl, commander of the Bundeswehr Joint Force Command Operational Communications Center. Gruhl emphasized the partnership's importance amid ongoing operations in the European theater. Participants also visited the German Armed Forces Forest of Remembrance, a memorial honoring German service members who died while serving their country. Family members have planted trees throughout the memorial grounds in remembrance of their loved ones.

U.S. service members then tested their physical and military skills by completing events associated with the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. Events included a 12-kilometer ruck march, a 100-meter agility shuttle run, a 1,000-meter run, a 100-meter swim in military uniform, a flexed-arm hang and firearms qualification. Those who successfully met the requirements earned the opportunity to wear the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge on their U.S. military uniforms in accordance with their respective service regulations.

Participants also visited the German Army Officer School in Dresden, where they learned about German military leadership, training, tactics and operations. The exchange allowed participants to compare approaches and better understand how partner forces train and operate together.

"Interoperability begins with understanding. This includes understanding each other's training, capabilities and ways of operating," said German Air Force Maj. Silas Scherer, a German Air Force basic training staff officer. "This exchange gives participants the opportunity to learn from one another and build the familiarity needed to operate effectively together."

During the final two weeks of the program, participants separated into smaller groups based on their military branches, components and occupational specialties. They joined German units throughout the country, including locations near Munich, Berlin, Nuremberg, Kiel and Hamburg, for specialized exchanges focused on their respective career fields.

Activities included observing a joint helicopter exercise involving the German and Swiss air forces; participating in small-arms tactics, simulator and unmanned aircraft systems training; working with German armored units; and participating in naval ship and damage-control simulator training.

The smaller exchanges also allowed U.S. and German service members to build professional relationships beyond formal training. Outside scheduled military engagements, participants experienced German history and cultural events alongside their hosts. These experiences gave service members more opportunities to connect personally while learning more about their respective cultures.

"The most impactful part of this program is the relationships formed between our U.S. and German reserve service members," said German Navy Lt. Cmdr. William Lobert, German Armed Forces Military Reserve Exchange Program manager. "Those connections make future cooperation easier, because participants leave with a better understanding of their counterparts and professional relationships that continue long after the exchange ends."

The exchange concluded Sept. 26 in Frankfurt, where U.S. participants and their German counterparts reunited before departing for their home units.

The Military Reserve Exchange Program is an annual initiative that allows U.S. reserve component service members and international partners from various backgrounds to exchange professional knowledge, strengthen military-to-military relationships and improve interoperability among allied forces.