GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – The 76th Operational Response Command’s 472nd Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Battalion, supported U.S. and partnered forces throughout September during exercise Avenger Triad 24.

Avenger Triad is a command post exercise led by U.S. Army Europe and Africa where organizations test and enhance their ability to synchronize U.S. and NATO warfighting across Europe. Leveraging the facilities of the Joint Multinational Simulation Center at Grafenwoehr Training Area, the reserve CBRN battalion provided key inputs to the continent-spanning training event.

“Coming here and working with a corps and our NATO allies is very significant as we support not only the Chief of Staff of the Army’s priorities, but also the national defense strategy,” said U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Ralph Scott, commander of the 472nd CBRN Battalion stationed in Chicago, Illinois. “Working with soldiers from Poland, The Netherlands, Germany, and Great Brittain, and to see how we can potentially fight in a large-scale combat operation is very good for us.”

U.S. forces and allies practiced reacting to a full range of threats. “CBRN is part of the protection warfighting function. It takes CBRN experts like us to inform the maneuver commander,” added Scott. The exercise relied on computer-assisted simulations that allowed warfighters to contend with realistic injects within the scenario. The 472nd CBRN Battalion provided the necessary expertise to fully round-out Avenger Triad’s protection objectives.

While Grafenwoehr Training Area is the U.S. Army’s largest and most capable training complex in Europe, bringing U.S. Army reserve soldiers to Germany benefitted the unit and individuals in many other ways.

U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Taylor Sahakyan, an automated logistics specialist assigned to headquarters company, 472nd CBRN Battalion, was part of the advance party. “After being here for about three weeks my knowledge was broadened and my eyes have been opened to a lot of what is going on in the world right now.” This was Sahakyan’s first time supporting an overseas training exercise.

Sahakyan and other soldiers used their free time to visit German points of interest in Bavaria and to visit Munich and Nuremburg. “This is a great opportunity for anyone regardless of their [military occupational specialty]. I’m very grateful to have been here.”

“It’s fun to learn how complex some of these operations can be, and get this perspective at a large scale,” said U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Brandon Chorney, a combat medic specialist assigned to headquarters company, 472nd CBRN Battalion. While Avenger Triad was a command post exercise, soldiers worked hand in hand with both other U.S. and NATO allied forces.

“I have never gone overseas with the Army. I’ve done a whole lot of different missions in the states, but never anything out of the country,” noted Chorney. For Chorney, Sahakyan, and other members of the battalion, the training exercise brought many new insights and lessons.

“This is an experience that they’re going to take back with them and they’re going to tell other individuals, this was fun, and it’s a great retention tool,” said U.S. Army Reserve Command Sgt. Maj. Darrold DeGunia, command sergeant major, 472nd CBRN Battalion. “The training location has been top notch. They want to come back. They want to do this again.”