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Exercise Cobb Ring Enhances Interoperability And Fosters Relations During Deployability Training(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 -- The U.S. Transportation Command's Joint Enabling Capabilities Command issued the following news: Due to increased global responsibilities, the Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE) participated in exercise Cobb Ring 2013 from July 15-26 to effectively demonstrate available capabilities with likely coalition partners. Personnel from JCSE, the U.K. and Canada exercised point-to-point communications from each others' network systems to enhance interoperability and also see firsthand, the tactical pre-deployment training required from each military unit. During this unique exercise, JCSE deployed three members to the 30th Signal Regiment headquarters, in Bramcote, U.K. and two JCSE personnel to the Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment (CFJSR) in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Additionally, JCSE hosted 11 coalition partners from both the U.K. and Canada at JCSE headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, in Tampa, Fla. With simultaneous participation at each of the three locations, the first week of Cobb Ring focused on testing current communications systems and provided the communicators with hands-on experience and valuable insight on what the JCSE, U.K. and Canadian communications teams bring to a mission. Cobb Ring ensured each team could employ their respective communications kits on the host nation's network infrastructure and built awareness of similarities in their deployable systems. In particular, JCSE's expertise and ability to provide uninterrupted connectivity was validated at each site during practical exercises using their scalable, mission-tailored and highly mobile communications equipment sets, such as the Initial Entry Package (IEP) and the Early Entry Package (EEP). By successfully connecting and employing their communications packages, the JCSE teams demonstrated the command's robust capabilities and strengthened their ability to use other network infrastructures to maintain connectivity. "While in the U.K. we were able to set up our communication services within 15 minutes at various locations," said JCSE member, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Bradley Riggs, who deployed to the 30th Signal Regiment headquarters during Cobb Ring. Additionally, this year's Cobb Ring marked the first time the 30th Signal Regiment brought their communications kit, the Falcon, to an exercise outside of their home country. Like JCSE's EEP, the U.K.'s Falcon system is a scalable all-internet protocol system which provides voice, data and video communication services. By testing the Falcon's capabilities from Tampa, Fla. and connecting back to their home station, the 30th Signal Regiment was able to validate their communications services from abroad. Similar to the training in Tampa, Fla., the JCSE team that deployed to the U.K. also built a greater understanding of the capabilities the 30th Signal Regiment brings to a mission while participating in a U.K.-led field training exercise. The exercise participants traveled throughout urban areas setting up their communications kits within minutes and providing reachback to the garrison headquarters. "Overall, the exercise was a huge success as we provided the link through our IEP for the Falcons to communicate," said Riggs. "The 30th Signal Regiment now knows they can supply their U.K. networks through our kit if this capability is ever needed in the future." Meanwhile, the CFJSR focused their training objectives more on radio transmission capabilities to maintain connectivity using high-frequency networks. From Tampa and while deployed in Canada, the JCSE team worked with the CFJSR to maintain voice communication services on a variety of systems. "We were able to tie each country's communication equipment sets together to see how they would interact," said JCSE member, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brett Majesky, who participated from Canada. "By testing our IEP capabilities and using Canada's high frequency radio, tactical satellite radio and satellite communication systems, we were able to validate interoperability." By working alongside the 30th Signal Regiment and the CFJSR during Cobb Ring 13, JCSE personnel gained a better understanding of each nation's capabilities. This valuable insight will be a critical advantage in case these participating nations are required to rely on each other's capabilities during a future mission. "It was great to work with such professionals from the U.K. and Canada who understand and value the support we provide to mission requirements and share similar challenges," said U.S. Army Capt. Ada Hernandez, a troop commander within JCSE's 2nd Joint Communications Squadron (2JCS), who hosted the coalition partners in Tampa during the exercise. Riggs concurred with Hernandez adding, "We actually worked with a few of the guys who were previously deployed with JCSE communicators supporting U.S. Africa Command. This exercise was a great chance to bond with U.K. teams to see that they provide the same support we do and also hear that they work alongside us when deployed." In addition to enhancing the technical expertise these joint communicators bring to real-world requirements, the Cobb Ring 13 participants also experienced firsthand how their counterparts prepare for deployments. During the second week of Cobb Ring 13, the participants completed deployability training at each headquarters' location. By working alongside one another during tactical-level training including teambuilding obstacle courses; the JCSE teams gained a valuable understanding of the training U.K. and Canadian communicators go through in preparation for real-world missions. Likewise, to fully demonstrate JCSE's deployability training, the 30th Signal Regiment and CFJSR communication experts in Tampa, Fla. joined a team from the 2JCS at the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center during their squadron field training exercise. Fully integrated teams completed survival, evasion, resistance and escape training, day and night land navigation, first aid buddy care and counter-improvised explosive training. "While merged with the 2JCS personnel, the coalition partners were evaluated on the necessary skill sets to illustrate the proficiency required of JCSE teams prior to deployments," said Hernandez. "Working together in this training environment further prepares us when we have to do an actual mission." Exercise Cobb Ring strengthened ties between JCSE, CFJSR and the 30th Signal Regiment, who each share similar missions, and provided a unique training opportunity for the communications experts to work together and ensure connectivity. By demonstrating their ability to build upon each other's communications expertise and capabilities, the Cobb Ring 13 participants strengthened interoperability during this valuable training and fostered relations that may be essential in the future. By Julianne Sympson TNS 30FurigayJane-130904-4473960 30FurigayJane (c) 2013 Targeted News Service |