News Release: U.S. and NATO troops execute combined exercise to expand Battle Group in Poland

May 11, 2023

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BEMOWO PISKIE, Poland —

U.S. Army Europe and Africa's V Corps and NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast, along with allies and partners, will conduct exercise Griffin Shock May 8 – 26, 2023, at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, in Northeastern Poland.

Griffin Shock is an exercise designed to demonstrate how the United States as a framework nation can rapidly reinforce the NATO battle group in Poland and expand its size from a battalion to a brigade-sized element as required. Exercising this scenario supports NATO deterrence initiatives and the new NATO Force Model, which allies agreed to during the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid.

"Speed, scale, flexibility, and preparing to defend NATO territory is what Exercise Griffin Shock is all about," said U.S. Army Gen. Darryl A. Williams, the commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and NATO's Allied Land Command. "The integration of NATO and national military planning to quickly scale the NATO battlegroup in Poland into a full combat brigade under the command and control of a NATO division headquarters is yet another example of the Alliance's new era of collective defense.”

More than 3,000 service members from U.S. and NATO nations will participate in the exercise to enhance interoperability objectives.

"Exercise Griffin Shock demonstrates our continued commitment to European security and the alliance. Specifically, it enables us to further expand and enhance NATO response in times of crisis in accordance with the declarations from the 2022 Madrid Summit," said V Corps Commanding General Lt. Gen. John S. Kolasheski. "Griffin Shock will validate our ability to quickly scale the NATO battlegroup in Poland into a full combat brigade under the command and control of NATO Multinational Division-Northeast. We are excited to partner with Polish Armed Forces General Command and Multinational Corps-Northeast to demonstrate this capability.”

U.S. participating units include 4th Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division Artillery, 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, and 1-14th Field Artillery Battalion. Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom, will also participate.

“Exercise Griffin Shock involves full range of military capabilities. It provides opportunities to conduct effective, realistic, live training; test and validate current and future capabilities and refine tactics, techniques and procedures,” said Lt. Gen. Jürgen-Joachim Von Sandrart, commanding general, NATO Multinational Corps-Northeast. “Through such exercises, allies demonstrate that we are a highly capable, flexible and interoperable formation that can deter and, where necessary, confront and defend potential aggressors.”

Media interested in covering U.S. participation in Griffin Shock 23 should contact V Corps Public Affairs at VictoryMedia@army.mil. The planned media day is currently scheduled for May 19.

 

  • U.S. Army Europe and Africa