European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 23, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday june 23, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3. I Quot _ a 4 nato countries activate rapid deployment division by de Reavis staff writer Rhei Dahlen Germany a wednesday was special for the North Atlantic treaty organizations goal of redefining its approach to european Security. While Russia was signing a partnership for peace agreement in Brussels Belgium nato also was celebrating the activation of a multinational rapid deployment division in this Little German town 30 Miles from the dutch Border. The rapid reaction unit will be capable of responding to an earthquake military coup or civil War within three to 15 Days depending on the circumstances said it. Gen. Sir Jeremy Mackenzie commander of Allied come Europe rapid reaction corps. A when the nato Alliance decides what kind of action it needs to meet a crisis and which assets should be deployed we can react a Mackenzie said. The division is nicknamed a firefighters a but officially is called the multinational div Central airmobile it is made up of units from four countries a belgian airborne brigade about 3,000 Mena German airborne brigade three combat battalions plus support the dutch 11th brigade airmobile and the British 24th airmobile brigade. The division is commanded by dutch maj. Gen. Pieter Huysman and has its Headquarters on the old British base in Rhei Dahlen. Huysman said wednesdays activation marked a new Era in Multi nationality on a lower level of command than has Ever existed in nato. A when the nato Alliance decides what kind of action it needs to meet a crisis and which assets should be deployed we can a it. Gen. Sir Jeremy Mackenzie Rhei Dahlen Germany a amps the Allied come Europe rapid reaction corps is the land component of the commands rapid reaction forces. Its Mission is to go wherever needed to support the supreme Allied commander Europe a crisis management options. The peacetime planning Structure includes 10 divisions plus corps troops from 12 nations to provide a rapid response to a wide Range of possibilities. The corps consists of a National divisions from Germany the United kingdom and the United a we will focus our training on combat operations because we Are a combat unit and we should defuse tension by providing a highly visible and capable deterrent Force a he said. The new purely european division was planned two years ago. The fact that americans Are represented Only at the corps level of nato s rapid deployment forces signals the european continents move to shoulder the Burden of its own defense nato officials said. Total strength of the multinational division will be Between 18,000 and 20,000, at the end of the year the unit expects to conduct its first big training exercise Huysman said. Depending on the task the newly activated Headquarters has the capability of leading a corps of up to four divisions or 80,000 men plus auxiliary units. In calling up those divisions the Headquarters can choose from 10 divisions in the Alliance. The main theater of operation for the division will be Europe As far East As the ural mountains in Russia Huysman said but there is also a possibility of of for duty states. Spain will also provide division sized forces under special coordination agreements. A a multinational division Central including belgian German dutch and British units. A a multinational division South including greek italian and turkish units. A two framework divisions under the. Lead of one nation one British with an italian component and one italian with a portuguese component. A Greece and Turkey have each assigned a division with the potential to Crati Orts outside that area Huysman said the ability of the four nations to overcome their political and military difficulties to create the division is proof of the deep Solidarity within nato. English is the official language of the multinational division although Many staffers Are multilingual. For the troops the corps and the division has a a quadrilateral interrupt ability program or quip a computer software that translates transmitted commands Stock military phrases Only into English French and German a division spokesman said. A logistics for the unit Are still National As they arc in nato a Mackenzie said. A that Means the British Soldier gets his support from the British the German Soldier from the germans. We Haven to gone beyond that stage yet a we Are now seeking to share assets across National lines but we re a Long Way from right now the emphasis for the division is in training Huysman said. Mackenzie has been quoted in the British Media As saying that the More multinational an organization is the less effective it is militarily but the More attractive it is politically. He said one overcomes that drawback by training together. The activation Celebration included a formal Parade by the division a Barbecue displays and demonstrations by helicopters weapon systems and work with other nations. The corps Headquarters is multinational and has been located in Rhei Dahlen since May. The Headquarters and the two multinational divisions Are under the peacetime command and control of the supreme Allied commander Europe. The remaining divisions and units come under the supreme Allied commander Europe a operational control after being deployed. The corps was activated in october 1992, but it will not be fully operational until 1995, gis still training for cancelled Foint exercise by the stars and stripes despite the official cancellation or a joint exercise Between soldiers from the . Army and Russia the 3rd inf div continues to prepare for the exercise. A the unit selected to participate in the now it postponed .-russian peacekeeper training continues to focus on preparing for the exercise a according to a statement released by the division wednesday. The exercise which was scheduled Tor next month was to have taken place near the City of Orenburg Southeast of moscow1. Another location will be used if the exercise is rescheduled a state department official sold earlier this week that the exercise was cancelled. A spokesman for the russian defense ministry blamed political opposition in the russian parliament not defense officials for calling off the exercise. The cancellation caught 3rd in div soldiers in mid training for the Mission. The division s statement said the soldiers from the 1st in 15th inf regt based in Schweinfurt Germany have rejoined their unit s regular training schedule and Are now undergoing gunnery tables in Grain Wuhr Germany. A however the statement continued a sustainment training in peacekeeping tasks continues at the squad and individual level in anticipation or peacekeeper Smus the division citing guidance from a higher Headquarters is now pre paring for a comb i Ned . I Islan exercise later this year. The statement noted that no Date has been set for the exercise but that the division s training schedule could be adjusted for any Date that is set. The division s position reflects that voiced by army maj Guy t. Shields a spokesman for the . European come Headquarters in Stuttgart Germany a your position is that we re continuing our planning toward that exercise in anticipation that Well be Able to conduct it later this year a Shields put out by idea of putting up . Forces by Cindy k1llion Washington Bureau Washington a Many delegates to the Western european Union Security seminar this week expressed dismay that the . House of representatives has demanded that european nations take on most of the financial Burden of stationing . Forces in Europe. However a House armed service committee staff member reminded the delegates that the measure Isnit a a done deals until its approved by the Senate and signed into Law by president Clinton. The measure known As the Frank amendment passed the House two weeks ago As part of next years defense authorization Bill. The amendment would require european nations to underwrite 75 percent of the Cost of keeping american forces on european soil. It also says that if the nations refuse the United states will reduce the number of military personnel by 75 percent effectively cutting the . Presence to 25,000. Dutch defense minister aurelus Ter Beck said the move sets a an absolutely impossible target for us europeans a in the past he said european governments have ignored the . Congress and concentrated on dealings with the executive Branch. A so i believe this amendment is a result of us not talking to Congress a he said. The Secretary general of the we Willem of Vaneckelen concurred. Ecklen said he firmly believes Europe is More stable with a Strong . Presence than without it. However the failure of Europe to instill that belief in the american people prompted this action he said. A Europe welcomes the 100,000 . Troop level and Hopes it remains a Mekelen said. A but we should not pay the United states to stay when we could be spending those funds to build and equip our own defense to understand the House amendment requires an understanding of the american political process said Ron Bartek a House armed services committee staff member. A members of the armed services committee did no to support this amendment yet it passed anyway by an overwhelming majority a he said. A a that shows a conviction among Congress that european allies Are not bearing a fair share of their defense in addition other political pressures a frustration with current foreign policy the . Budget deficit and an a isolationism undercurrent Quot a prompted the amendment he said. A this is an election year a he said. A fall of the House members and a third of the Senate Are up for re Clec Tion in november. The budget deficit while still taking care of Domestic problems Are re election topics and the general feeling is that culling the defense budget is the Best Way to tackle the the outcome of the Frank amendment wont be known until sometime in August Bartek said. A a lot of things can happen before then during the conference sessions a he said. A so its not Over til its
