Task Force East

While discussing initiatives directing the transformation of the U.S. military, Marine Gen. James L. Jones, Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, testified before Congress in April 2003 of the need for the European Command to "shift west" (back to the continental U.S.), "shift south" (Africa), and "shift east" to forward operating bases with our new NATO partners.

The Eastern European Task Force (EETAF) concept envisioned a joint capable, deployable command and control headquarters that would not have permanently assigned combat forces, but which would command rotational forces operating out of sites in Romania (up to 1700 personnel) [1] and Bulgaria (up to 2500 personnel). The EETAF HQ would be primarily responsible for supporting security cooperation activities throughout Eastern Europe. The Army component of EETAF would be a Brigade Combat Team (BCT) rotating on a four to six-month basis from the continental U.S. or Europe. The March 2006 Strategic Planning Guidance modified the presence requirement from a full-time BCT to a “periodic rotational force.”

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement with Romania in 2005[1] and Bulgaria in 2006 [2] dictating the stipulations of the two bi-lateral agreements.

The EETAF concept described a two-phased process to “start small and grow” the objective capability. Phase I, from November 2004 to June 2007, involved USAREUR securing the necessary host nation agreements and constructing the facilities. Phase II would begin with the first “Proof of Principle” battalion-sized rotation in June 2007 and eventually followed by a full brigade combat team as the facilities, training areas and agreements were established and validated.

The 2007 Phase I “Proof of Principle” and the 2008 Rotation were successful in validating the EETAF concept and provided key insights for further development. Key construction tasks identified for accomplishment in Phase I were not completed and insights were gained indicating significant improvement and expansion of facilities and training areas was required to meet the original brigade-sized concept; but, the plans had been developed, a timeline established, and funding allocated to complete construction of the identified Permanent Forward Operating Site (PFOS) in Romania and, later, one in Bulgaria.

In Romania prior to the first rotation in 2007, existing Mihail Kogălniceanu Airfield facilities were improved and temporary (prefabricated) facilities constructed to provide offices, billets, storage facilities, recreation and other life support needs to the JTF-East staff and rotational units. Most of these same temporary facilities, in addition to some remodeled structures, are what JTF-E used at MKAF through the 2009 rotation. In 2007, construction commenced in the former Romanian 34th Mechanized Brigade area in Mihail Kogălniceanu[1] for a "permanent forward operating site” to provide necessary life and training support facilities on a more permanent basis for up to 1,600 troops. This $47.4 million facility is expected to be completed and fully operational before the 2010 rotation.

In the Romanian Land Forces Babadag Training Area, temporary facilities were constructed for the 2009 rotation that would accommodate up to 1,100. Similar facilities in Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria were also constructed to support the 2009 staff and rotational units there. - Both of these facilities were for joint and coalition use.

The new facilities in both Bulgaria and Romania include barracks, battalion and brigade headquarters, chapel, dining facility, community center, fire and military police stations, first-aid station, retail or department store, post office, movie theater, fitness center, maintenance shops, showers and restrooms, and other support buildings for training and storage.

In Bulgaria construction on a similar PFOS in the Novo Selo Training Area in Mokren, Bulgaria commenced construction in the winter of 2009 and is expected to be completed in 2012. The $54 million facility is designed for 2,500 troops, providing 77 fully functional, turn-key type facilities with associated roads and infrastructure.

Romanian and US forces train together

The original 2007 Proof of Principle was originally planned to be conducted by a battalion-sized element from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (2SCR) that had deployed to Germany in 2006. Following the Proof of Principle, the construction and rotations would continue until the brigade combat team headquarters could be established by January 2008, followed by a full-up BCT-sized rotation in summer 2008. However, in May 2007, the Pentagon announced that the 2SCR would be participating in the surge of U.S. forces to Iraq. USAREUR replaced 2SCR's participation in the Proof of Principle with 1-94th Field Artillery battalion, a unit well-prepared to conduct the type of training envisioned to help prepare the Romanian and Bulgarian units scheduled to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan. Approximately 350 U.S. and 100 Romanian troops participated in the Proof of Principle.

After the Proof of Principle exercise was completed, U.S. Army Europe issued an order for JTF-East to begin a period of “warm-basing” at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Airfield, Romania. The driver for this decision was the absence of any available rotational forces to occupy JTF-East due to the 2007 “surge” in Iraq, which significantly increased the number of troops deployed there. This decision to go to a warm-basing status was reinforced by the perception that the impact on rotational force availability would be temporary and that construction of the PFOS was not yet complete. As operational impacts grew clearer, in February 2008, USAREUR announced that the originally intended brigade-sized rotation would be downsized to a battalion for 2008. Due to the lack of forces available in Europe, the rotation was adjusted to a battalion-sized active component/reserve component mix. The 2008 Rotation was executed sequentially with training operations first in Romania then in Bulgaria. Approximately 3,100 total U.S., Romanian, and Bulgarian personnel participated in the first rotation. Of the 2,100 that participated in Romania, the U.S. units included the 1-200 Infantry of the New Mexico Army National Guard, the 541st Engineer Company and B Company, 1-4th Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery from Germany; Romanian Land Forces included the 341st Infantry Battalion.[3] Nearly 1,000 participants in Bulgaria included members of the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery out of Germany.

US and Bulgarian troops renovate a kindergarten

USAREUR directed the execution of "warm-basing" at JTF-East in November 2007 to maintain the facilities and facilitate various training missions and on-going humanitarian civil assistance (HCA) missions. The site at Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria was closed completely, while the area of the Temporary Forward Operating Site and PFOS construction at MKAF, Romania became the focal point of JTF-East efforts. The plan directed that USAREUR designate a lieutenant colonel as the warm-basing commander. The first commander was Lt. Col. John Moon for 2007–08 and second was Lt. Col. Tina Kracke for the winter of 2008–2009. The plan also directed a colonel be assigned as the commander to assume “full command authority” over all U.S. personnel operating on or from MKAF and the Novo Selo Training Area during rotations. The first colonel designee was Col. Peri A. Anest. The staff was assigned as necessary to accomplish the mission. On occasion, USAREUR staff sections would surge additional personnel to JTF-East when required for a specific task or during a rotation.

During the 2009 rotation, the name "Joint Task Force-East" was formally changed to "Task Force-East" to more accurately depict the fact that the task force is led by a single U.S. military service component.

In 2008–2010 during the warm-basing period, the facility at Mihail Kogălniceanu Airfield hosted about 20 to 30 U.S. support personnel including U.S. Army personnel, U.S. government civilian employees, local national contract employees, and US Army Corps of Engineers employees who manage the construction of the PFOS. Most personnel are assigned for about a one to two-year tour of duty.[1] In addition, since the summer of 2007, U.S. Navy Seabees detachments of 25 to 30 construction-men and women have been stationed in MKAF. They have been on six-month tours conducting HCA projects in the areas TF-East operates in both Romania and Bulgaria.

There was no significant personnel presence in Bulgaria during the off-season in 2010. The TF-East headquarters in Romania manages both operations except during the rotational exercises when a JTF-East “Forward” headquarters is stood up. The Bulgarian TF-East Forward headquarters was responsible to the TF-East commander in Romania.

Training conducted at TF-East starts at the individual level and continues up to company-level in both Romania and Bulgaria. U.S. troops along with their host nation counterparts conduct both situational training exercises and live-fire exercises. In addition, staff elements are integrated at varying degrees for the duration of the operation to foster interoperability and working relationships.[1]

Romanians and Americans train together

Integrated training includes conducting individual and crew-served weapons qualification, mounted and dismounted situational training, live-fire training, mounted patrolling, combat lifesaver training, and familiarization and training on the use of non-lethal weapon systems.

Training equipment and vehicles have included High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV or Humvee), the Romanian's VAMTAC (Vehículo de Alta Movilidad Táctico; a Spanish-made 4-wheel drive military vehicle), variants of the U.S. Stryker Light Armored Vehicle, the Romanian and Bulgarian armored personnel carriers in addition to various logistical support vehicles and equipment to include the Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. In addition, JTF-East provides training tools to include the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000 (EST 2000) and the HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer (HEAT).

The rotational TF-E headquarters have been a combined staff of U.S.-Romanian (in Romania) and U.S.-Bulgarian (in Bulgaria) forces. Troops from the Romanian and Bulgarian Land Forces and U.S. Soldiers and civilians from throughout U.S. Army Europe filled the bulk of the manning requirements. U.S. Army Reserve individual augmentees, as well as a few service members from other U.S. service components and the National Guard, have rounded-out various positions as well. Several local national contracted employees also fill a number of the positions both during the rotational period and year-round.