The U.S. Army Reserve’s 209th Digital Liaison Detachment, 7th Mission Support Command, supports Exercise Avenger Triad 2024, in Kielce, Poland, Sept. 10-19, 2024.
Exercise Avenger Triad 24 is a computer-assisted command-post exercise designed to demonstrate U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s ability to exercise mission command of U.S. and NATO forces while also employing the Army’s Continuous Transformation capabilities. This was the first time USAREUR-AF exercised its ability to lead one U.S. and five NATO Corps during simulated large-scale combat operations.
“Our mission was to increase unit readiness, enhance interoperability, employ new concepts, and inform regional plans in the European Command area of responsibility,” said U.S. Army Reserve Col. Aaron Justice, the commander of the 209th DLD. “The unit also coordinated with the Multi-Corps Land Component Command, V Corps, the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, the 4th Security Forces Assistance Brigade, the 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion and civil affairs.”
The 209th DLD embedded in the 2nd Polish Corps’ Tactical Operations Center providing 37 personnel, including augmentees from the 44th ESB, supporting the 2nd Polish Corps during Avenger Triad 2024.
“The 209th DLD provides a liaison capability between Army Forces, Multi-Corps Forces Land Component Command, Joint Task Force, subordinate headquarters, and multinational headquarters to ensure communication, mutual understanding, and unity of purpose and action,” said Justice. “The DLD can provide a majority of the warfighting functions including mission command, movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, and sustainment.”
Avenger Triad 24’s aim was to increase readiness, enhance interoperability, employ new concepts and inform regional planning to identify gaps in staff processes and capabilities. The exercise involved approximately 2,000 participants from the U.S., and 2,000 multinational participants from Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.
“The 209th DLD goals for the exercise were to deploy both an Advance (ADVON) and Main body into austere conditions in Kielce, Poland, including flights, non-tactical vehicle convoys, line-hauls of unit tactical vehicles and containers, and a main body bus movement,” said Justice. “Due to the hard work of the ADVON, the main body was able to quickly integrate themselves with their corresponding warfighting function, gain connectivity of their mission command information systems, and provide a common operating picture with the 2nd Polish Corps.”
Exercises like Avenger Triad 24 are part of a long-term multinational training effort to maintain readiness and integrations between NATO Allies in the Euro-Atlantic region while modernizing cutting-edge technologies, concepts and formations in a simulated environment.
“A DLD cannot conduct its mission essential tasks without working with a multinational partner; therefore, it is imperative that we participate in multinational events like Avenger Triad to maintain our proficiency,” said Justice.
The 7th Mission Support Command is the U.S. Army Reserve presence in Europe. Comprised of 26 units across Germany and Italy, the 7th MSC provides logistical and sustainment resources in support of U.S. Army Europe-Africa missions across the theater. For more stories and information on the America's Army Reserve in Europe, connect on Facebook @7thmsc.
