Thread by @MarkHertling

In the last few days, two articles by @OrenCNN for @cnn & @DanLamothe for @washingtonpost on the potential for expanding Ukrainian training at @7thATC in Germany.

Perhaps some info may be helpful, as it is one many (me included) thought should happen.

A 🧵on training. 1/18

First, here is @OrenCNN (with @KatieBoLillis,@NatashaBertrand & @kylieatwood) in the article that officially "broke" the story: 2/

cnn.com/2022/11/30/pol…

Then, @danlamothe of the @washingtonpost provided some info.

(note the picture of Ukrainians firing tank gunnery at Graf in 2017 in the article's lead) 3/
washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

While both articles describe the "what," there isn't much on why, how, or when the the training will take place.

Background is required.

But 1st, some comments on @7thATC, @HohenfelsJMRC & the Joint Multinational Simulation Center located at Grafenwoehr & Hohenfels, Germany. 4/

"Graf" (as it's called) was a training center for Bavarian Artillery in the 1800s.

During WWII, Rommel trained tanks there.

Germans mothers used to say to their sons: "don't be a bad boy, or they'll send you to Graf!"

The US Army took over the training site in 1947. 5/

During the Cold War, Graf was the place where the 300,000 US forces assigned in Germany used to train to defeat the Soviets.

The main gate of Graf was known by all soldiers, and even Elvis trained their (and sang at one of the German gasthaus's outside the gate!). 5/

In 2004, after returning from Iraq, I took command of 7th ATC. Truthfully, it was one of the top three jobs I had in the Army.

The HQs is located at "Graf" proper, but the command also includes a maneuver center at Hohenfels, Vilseck, & several other smaller training posts. 6/

Because the US Army in Europe was reducing in size (directed by Rumsfeld), my boss gave me some guidance as I took command.

"Increase multinational training to prepare alliances of the future!" (of course, we were also training other countries to fight w/ us in AFG) 7/

From 2004 forward, the training of allies & partners increased signficantly. Soldiers from over 36 different European allies (and later, some African countries started training there, too) trained their regularly.

Graf, is one of the 3 best training facilities in the world. 8/

The training is from individual soldier to battalions, brigades and even multinational task force.

Sergeants from all nations train at the NCO Academy. Battalions maneuver at Hohenfels. Tanks shoot on the ranges. The simulation center trains large Multinational Task Forces.9/

Lots of old retired soldiers think of Graf as a big "mud hole," because that is what most remember from the Cold War days.

Today, IMHO, it is the most state of the art training facility in the world. I loved serving there! 10/

Which brings us back to Ukraine's Army.

When I served in EU (& after I left), UA sent their young soldiers to our NCO Academy & our training sites...and we did the same NE of Lviv, in Yavoriv (the below picture from 2011 during Exercise Rapid Trident) 11/

The @7thATC established a expeditionary training center in Yavoriv in 2014, calling it JMTG-U (Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine).

Active soldiers from the @173rdAbnBde and @NationalGuard soldiers from California trained w/ Ukraine Soldiers for years. 12/

All that was considered "small scale."

Individual soldiers, teams, platoons, company level training. It served both the UA & US Army very well.

But as both articles in this 🧵 cited, there is now an desire to train "up to 2500 soldiers" in combined arms operations. 13/

As I've said in previous threads, Combined Arms Operations is when ALL units - infantry, tanks, artillery, engineers, transportation, logistics, aviation, special forces, air defense, military intel - come together & synchronize actions.

It takes time & tough training. 14/

The team at 7ATC (as well as at a few other NATO allied locations in Europe) are great at this.

You need large training areas, observers who understand doctrinal effectiveness who can teach, simulations providing perfect oversight, & after-action reviews.

It's next level. 15/

Those are the "whys."

The "hows" require getting a large # of UA recruits/foces/leaders to the training site with the equipment they will use in combat.

Think of recruiting a team, with all their kit, and putting them on a practice field for drills. 16/

I don't know the current status is for these actions, as I'm no longer privy to classified information.

This is PhD-level work requiring coordination, approval by foreign governments, training, equipping, manning.

But it's what many of us have suggested. And it's doable. 17/

It is the next kind of next level preparation & training the UA needs to continue their successful fight.

(and, for all those who will now "why didn't we do this earlier?" please know this ain't that easy to do.

I'm just glad it seems to be happening now. 18/18