ImmediateResponse

Immediate Response 25 is a U.S. Army large-scale exercise enhancing cyber and CBRNE defense capabilities, NATO integration through state partnership readiness programs and multinational exercises to equip NATO’s regional plans and uphold U.S. commitments to the Alliance. Immediate Response 25 demonstrates multinational live fires conducted with NATO networks, a cyber exercise, water crossing, and CBRNE exercises from May 26 - June 9 with over 12,000 participants and hosted in eight countries to include Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovakia.

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Video by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot

Iowa Guard Airmen support Sioux City COVID-19 test

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

May 8, 2020 | 3:00

Iowa Air National Guard members are assisting with COVID-19 testing activates in Sioux City, Iowa this week.

A team of 35 members from the Sioux City, Iowa based 185th Air Refueling Wing helped set up, and are now assisting local and state agencies with logistics and traffic control at a COVID-19 test site in Sioux City.

The drive through test site was set up this week in the parking of the Western Iowa Technical Community College campus, located in the Morningside area of Sioux City along the Highway 75 bypass.

According to 1st Lieutenant Matt Wulf of the Iowa Air Guard, community members who are presenting with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 can sign up on line. Once the determination is made that they are eligible to be tested they are allowed to visit the drive through test site at the WIT campus.

The “Test Iowa” initiative is being directed by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds as part of ongoing efforts in determining an effective state wide response to COVID-19.

Wulf said as of this week there are four test sites in the state were members of the Iowa Air and Army National Guard are providing assistance with testing. He added that additional test sites in Iowa may be created as early as next week.

Samples collected from Sioux City and the rest of the test sites around the state are sent to the Iowa Hygienic Laboratory in Coralville, Iowa. Once delivered the samples are processed with the goal of providing results in within 24 hours.

Because of the large distance between Sioux City and the eastern Iowa based laboratory, a helicopter from the Iowa Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation Support Facility in Waterloo is assisting. The U.S. Army UH-72 Lakota is dispatched to Sioux City at the end each day to provide quick delivery of samples collected from the western Iowa test site.

Wulf said 185th Airmen are planning on providing manning for the test site in Sioux City through the end of next week. He added that his team is ready to support continuing needs as the state response to COVID-19 continues to evolve.

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What is happening where?

Albania
In Albania, the New Jersey Army National Guard will conduct live-fire activities with Albanian Armed Forces, as part of the State Partnership Program.
Bulgaria
The USAREUR-AF Band & Chorus, along with other U.S. Army units, will conduct a series of dynamic performances and community engagements across Bulgaria ahead of DEFENDER 25.

In Bulgaria, the 31st Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Brigade, Alabama Army National Guard, will have personnel provide protection support to NATO’s 1st German Netherlands Corps and command and control of all CBRNE units and training in Immediate Response 25. A CBRN headquarters will be established at a satellite location to execute a division-level CBRN mission command center.

Additionally, the Bulgarian national exercise, Bulgarian Sentinel, will be linked to Immediate Response 25 and consists of a battalion from 3^rd Brigade Combat Team, 1^st Armored Division, one Forward Land Forces (FLF) multinational battlegroup and Bulgarian Land Force Command conducting a battalion-level live-fire exercise at two separate training areas. (The FLF is one of eight battlegroups contributing to NATO’s forward presence and hosted by Bulgaria, with Italy being the framework nation.)
Croatia

In Croatia, troops from the U.S. Army 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st TSC, will establish a Theater Detention Facility and a Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Center (JIDC) to increase detention operations, expeditionary deployment operations and command and control capabilities with Allies and partners. Role 2 ancillary medical support will be supported by the Croatian Armed Forces.

Soldiers from the Maryland Army National Guard will conduct a live fire exercise with their state partner, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Additionally, a mechanized brigade attack training event will take place with soldiers from the U.S., Albania, Croatia, Germany, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Slovenia.

Two Croatian national exercises, named Lift and Laufer, will be linked to exercise Immediate Response 25.
Greece

Immediate Response kicks off in Greece - The Hellenic Army will host an opening ceremony with multinational participation marking the commencement of Immediate Response 25. Equipment and weaponry being used during the exercise will also be on display.

In Greece, a water crossing and battalion air assault will occur with personnel from the 194th Engineer Brigade, Tennessee Army National Guard, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Vermont Army National Guard, and Greek 20th Armored Division.

Combined arms live-fire training will take place near Petrochori. A chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive training event will take place at a Hellenic port to demonstrate a chemical attack, disrupting port operations, and exercise decontamination scenarios with French, Greek and U.S. forces including the U.S. Army 21st TSC and 184th Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Explosive Ordnance Device Group, 20th CBRNE Command.
Kosovo
In Kosovo, personnel from 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard will participate in Immediate Response 25 as a division headquarters overseeing four multinational brigades.
Montenegro

In Montenegro, Maine Army National Guard, Montenegro Armed Forces, and host nation government agencies will conduct a cyber range enhancing host nation cyber defense and communications security to deter and defend in crisis and conflict.

U.S. Navy Maritime Expeditionary Security Group 2, and Montenegrin and Albania Naval Forces will conduct port security sustainment training in Montenegro and transfer to Albania to improve force projection and integration in the Adriatic.
North Macedonia

A public event will be held in the city of Kavadarci, where NATO Allies and partners will showcase military equipment and vehicles being used during Immediate Response 25.

The 86^th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Vermont Army National Guard will conduct a multinational live fire exercise alongside their state partner, North Macedonia.

In North Macedonia, the 86th IBCT will conduct training activities alongside the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia, Austrian Armed Forces, Albanian Armed Forces, Hellenic Army, Kosovo Security Forces, and Armed Forces of Montenegro. Activities at Krivolak Training Area include mountain training, field training exercise, combined arms live-fire and small arms live-fires.
Slovakia
In Slovakia, U.S. Army 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, 20th CBRNE Command, will conduct defensive CBRNE tasks to mitigate threats while being integrated with a multinational CBRNE task force at the CBRN Training and Testing Center.

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