Eurocorps’ Common Harmony exercise comes to an end: training in projection, exercising command and fulfilling the mission

• Personnel from across the Brigade undertook field training, combining individual military training with group activities focusing on mobility, command post operations, communications and information systems (CIS), logistics and force protection 

Eurocorps’ Multinational Command Support Brigade (MNCS BDE) has conducted the ‘Common Harmony’ exercise, during which it tested its procedures and capabilities, as well as the efficiency of its personnel, in a demanding multinational environment.

A command post must not cease operations during its deployment phase. The international military personnel of the Multinational Command Support Brigade (MNCS BDE) —including 35 Spaniards— as well as communications, logistics and command elements must be relocated whilst ensuring continuity of command and control at all times; and this capability has been the cornerstone of the exercise.

For two weeks, personnel from across the Brigade undertook field training, combining individual military training with group activities focusing on mobility, command post operations, communications and information systems (CIS), logistics and force protection. The exercise was designed not only to train the Brigade, but also to put it to the test: to evaluate its procedures, identify areas for improvement and strengthen its ability to provide effective support to Eurocorps whenever and wherever necessary.

During the exercise, personnel from the MNCS BDE continued their individual military training alongside their specific duties. This phase took place at a training ground near the Bastin Headquarters in Stockem, the headquarters of the Infantry Academy (École d’Infanterie) in Arlon, Belgium, and included live-fire training and specialised tasks such as marksman and radio operator training. Overall, this ensured that the soldiers maintained the skills necessary to operate effectively in demanding conditions.

Furthermore, mobility was a central element of the exercise. The MNCS Brigade undertook road marches and practised occupying protected areas, where it honed its deployment and redeployment capabilities whilst maintaining command and control at all times. In this way, it ensured a continuous flow of information and decision-making throughout the transition, without ever losing operational continuity.

As for the Brigade’s own training, for Spanish Commander José Lacarra, head of the Brigade’s operations section, this was one of the most important aspects of Common Harmony, as any incident affecting the CIS, logistics or other support functions could interfere with the training objectives of the Eurocorps General Staff itself. In this exercise, “we have put to the test the various forms of support we provide to headquarters in the exercise of command and control of missions and operations: logistics, communications and force protection; and all of this in a multinational environment which presents a major operational challenge”.

The MNCS Brigade is unique within Eurocorps due to its multinational composition, as it brings together personnel from five of the six Eurocorps framework nations, which constitutes an operational strength. Undoubtedly, operating effectively in such an environment requires more than just common procedures; it demands trust, coordination and a shared understanding of how military personnel of different nationalities can work as a team.

The Brigade makes a significant contribution to Eurocorps’ command and control structure, as Colonel Counasse, head of the MNCS BDE, emphasised to Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro, Commander of Eurocorps, during his visit to the exercise, accompanied by his command team, on 29 September. In this context, the value of an exercise lies in the lessons it provides, and in particular in the training of the military personnel who make up the Brigade. “For me,” says the colonel, “the main indicator is the smiles on people’s faces. I find it very interesting to see people working together and gaining valuable experience thanks to this type of exercise.”

Following two weeks of intense operational activity, the ‘Common Harmony’ exercise has achieved its main objective: to improve procedures for establishing and relocating command posts, whilst ensuring continuity of command and control for Eurocorps. All this has been achieved through realistic training, which goes beyond simply demonstrating what already works but to find out what can be done better.

The exercise has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the Multinational Command Support Brigade: “because we are ready to deploy, exercise command and support Eurocorps,” emphasises Commander Lacarra.