German Cos Of Usareur Appointed

[Panzermann]

German general to be assigned as U.S. Army Europe's new chief of staff

July 31, 2014

By U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs

 

Brig. Gen. Markus Laubenthal, commander of the Bundeswehr's Panzerbrigade 12 (12th Armored Brigade) has been named as the next chief of staff for U.S. Army Europe. Laubenthal is the first German officer to be assigned to the USAREUR position, where he will synchronize the activities of the USAREUR staff in much the same manner as his American predecessors.

WIESBADEN, Germany -- As announced by the German Federal Ministry of Defence, U.S. Army Europe's next chief of staff will be a general officer from the Bundeswehr, Brig. Gen. Markus Laubenthal. In this capacity, Laubenthal will synchronize the activities of the USAREUR staff in much the same manner as his American predecessors have done. Laubenthal has already been receiving initial briefings from the USAREUR staff and is expected to report to duty full time on or about August 4.

 

"This is a bold and major step forward in USAREUR's commitment to operating in a multinational environment with our German allies. U.S. and German senior military leaders have been serving together in NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for years. Sustaining the shared capability from this experience will benefit both U.S. and German armies. As you know, actions speak louder than words, and this innovation carries a very strong message regarding our seriousness about a multinational team. I look forward to working with Brig. Gen. Laubenthal and seeing the tremendous impact his presence will have on the team," said Lt. Gen. Donald Campbell Jr., USAREUR commanding general.

 

Laubenthal is looking forward to his new assignment. "I view my new duties as chief of staff with interest and respect. As the commander of Panzerbrigade 12 (12th Armored Brigade) 'Oberpfalz', I have always valued the joint exercises with our partnership unit, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck. I am therefore even more pleased to continue this close cooperation in a new and unique way in Wiesbaden. I am sure that I can use the experience I gained in the German Army supporting the training of ready army forces, in my new position with USAREUR."

 

Immediately prior to this assignment, Laubenthal served as the commander of the 12th Armored Brigade in Amberg and the chief of staff for ISAF Regional Command North in Afghanistan. Among several command and staff assignments in Germany, he also served as military assistant to the deputy commander of operations and assistant chief of staff for operations for the Kosovo Force.

 

 

NOTE: For questions pertaining to USAREUR, call (49) 0611-705-3075 or e-mail usarmyeurope.contact@mail.mil. For questions pertaining to the Bundeswehr,call the Presse- und Informationszentrum des Heeres, Liegenschaft Nord, at (49) 33-41-58-1522 or e-mail kdohpizhpresse@bundeswehr.org.

 

 

 

 

I knew that company officers and sometimes field officers quite regularly serve in other NATO armies, but a Brigadier General is a bit different. Are there other foreigners serving that high in the chain of command in the US Army or other Forces? (excluding nationality mixed units)

[Sardaukar]

Wooh, bet Putin is really worried now.

 

About PanzerGruppe Laubenthal and Operation Typhoon?

[baboon6]

 

 

 

 

 

 

I knew that company officers and sometimes field officers quite regularly serve in other NATO armies, but a Brigadier General is a bit different. Are there other foreigners serving that high in the chain of command in the US Army or other Forces? (excluding nationality mixed units)

 

 

Yes. There are British Army brigadiers at both the 1st Infantry Div and 82nd Abn Div:

 

http://www.riley.army.mil/AboutUs/Leaders/Display/tabid/97/Article/468795/brigadier-uk-christopher-ghika.aspx

 

http://www.bragg.army.mil/82nd/Pages/82ndAirboneDivisionDeputyCommandingGerneral-Interoperability.aspx

Edited August 6, 2014 by baboon6

[m1a1mg]

1st ID deployed with a British general last time to Afghanistan.

[BP]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I knew that company officers and sometimes field officers quite regularly serve in other NATO armies, but a Brigadier General is a bit different. Are there other foreigners serving that high in the chain of command in the US Army or other Forces? (excluding nationality mixed units)

 

 

Yes. There are British Army brigadiers at both the 1st Infantry Div and 82nd Abn Div:

 

http://www.riley.army.mil/AboutUs/Leaders/Display/tabid/97/Article/468795/brigadier-uk-christopher-ghika.aspx

 

http://www.bragg.army.mil/82nd/Pages/82ndAirboneDivisionDeputyCommandingGerneral-Interoperability.aspx

 

 

Young, fast burners.

[R011]

The former Candian Chief of Defence Staff, Walter Natynczyk, served with US III Corps in Iraq.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Natynczyk

 

"Natynczyk attended the U.S. Army War College, and was subsequently appointed Deputy Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood. In January 2004, he deployed with III Corps to Baghdad, Iraq, serving first as the Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans, and subsequently as the Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps (Iraq) during Operation Iraqi Freedom.[5] Natynczyk led the Corps' 35,000 soldiers, consisting of 10 separate brigades, stationed throughout the Iraq Theatre of Operations.[2][6] He was later awarded the Meritorious Service Cross specifically for his combat efforts in Operation Iraqi Freedom January 2004 to January 2005.[7]"

[Archie Pellagio]

It is interesting because it is a command appointment, not a staff appointment which is usually what senior generals from foreign militaries do.

 

Maj Gen Molan (Australian) was S3 for all of MNF-I under Casey in 2004-05 which was a pretty crazy high level appointment for a foreign military person.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Archie Pellagio

[FALightFighter]

There are 2 different situations, though.

 

DSACEUR is a NATO position, so all elements of the alliance are nominally considered for the positions- although only the heavy hitters are going to get the primary positions (US for SHAPE & CENTAG, UK for NORTHAG, etc).

 

USAREUR is a US unit, but there are exchange positions based on bilateral agreements between the two involved nations- in addition to the deputy commanding generals discussed (UK in XVIII Corps, 82nd and 1st Divisions, and Canadian in III Corps) there are exchange officers at lower levels- there is always a UK major serving in one of the 82nd's brigades, and a US major in the Paras. IIRC, this major became an issue in the Falklands when the US officer wanted to deploy with the unit and didn't have US permission.

[shep854]

What's the highest level Americans have been assigned in German forces?

Edited August 7, 2014 by shep854

[FALightFighter]

I'm not sure. I'll bet there is a reciprocal position to this one at the BG/OF6/O7 level, but haven't heard what it is.

 

I know that we have Australian and UK exchange instructors, and have had Canadian exchange instructors- there may be others, I've experienced these directly.

[BansheeOne]

According to the exchange agreement of 2011, the highest ranks would be LTC, one position as G3 at the Response Forces Operations Command in Ulm (this is a OHQ/FHQ for EU operations) and one as a CSC instructor at the Hamburg Command Academy. They are mirrored with 7th US Army HQ in Heidelberg and CGSC Ft. Leavenworth respectively. No BG positions are listed, so this is something new; I find media reference to an agreement that was signed on 30 July in Washington, apparently somewhat delayed by irritation over the latest suspicions of US espionage in Germany and the reaction to it.

 

I thought the posting could be a unilateral confidence-building measure by the US precisely in light of recently strained bilateral relations, but knowing how long it takes to get something like this on the road it would have to have been rather providential; apparently plans were announced by USAREUR in March already with a pointer to US-German cooperation in Afghanistan, a theater supported from here. Of course the NSA affair had been brewing for some time at this point, and there are some comments trending towards the above interpretation.

 

Back in 1993-2005 there were II. GER-US and V. US-GER Corps which would have exchanged a division each for operations, but it seems in peacetime only liaison elements were cross-attached, no actual staff officer positions I can find.

[Ken Estes]

In the olden days, after the earth cooled, COMLANDJUT was a NATO Corps HQ, under COMBALTAP, controlling the W German 6th PzGrDiv and Danish Jutland Mech Inf Div, with 51st (Terr.) PzGrBde reporting on mobilization. The Grenzschuetztruppen also provided an armored recce bn on the IG frontier. When I worked with them in 1981, the commander was a German LtGen [Kiesling], the Deputy and C/S a Dane, and the G-sections a mix of Ger, Danish, Dutch, UK and US personnel from what I saw. It was a great study in multi-national command for me to observe, for 2+ weeks.

[BansheeOne]

LANDJUT successor MNC Northeast looks to become an interesting testbed for closer European military integration. After Dutch 11 Airmobile Brigade was recently OPCON-assigned to German Division Schnelle Kräfte, apparently the same is now planned for NL 43rd Mechanized Brigade to 1st Panzer Division. This makes of course sense for the Dutch since they smartly got rid of all their tanks, but as 1st Panzer is the German contribution to MNC SW, that would theoretically get the Dutch involved with it; ordinarily such arrangements come with multinational rotation of top command posts, and I have the feeling this is to supplant current I. GER-NL Corps, since we now have an abundance of corps HQs to lead the paltry brigades most European national forces have been reduced to.

 

Furthermore, as so far only other nations' forces have been put under German formations, the political question is being asked how Germany could reprocitate. One rather obvious idea is for the Dutch to take the lead in amphibious operations, not least because it would allow the German government to weasel out of long-standing plans to procure some amphibious support ships of its own As Soon As Money Is Available; I guess the newly established Seebataillon could be assigned to the Korps Mariniers. However, the elephant in the room is putting a German brigade under Polish command; if the current plans come to pass, 1st Panzer Division will have one to spare. This would also be a signal of practical solidarity with Eastern partners in light of the ongoing unpleasantries with Russia, which is exactly why people seem reluctant to touch it.

[BansheeOne]

Just saw a summary on multinational cooperation projects of the Heer. According to this, the USAREUR CoS post was indeed a unilateral American offer, not mirrored on the German side. Other points:

 

- Integration of NL 11th Airmobile Brigade into Division Schnelle Kräfte and plans to do the same with NL 43rd Mechanized Brigade into 1st Panzer Division as mentioned above; first steps said to be taken for the latter. Also, German Artillery School will conduct joint fire support training with the Netherlands and Belgium; France and Austria are also interested to participate, with plans to turn it into an international JFS school.

 

- Poland: Also mentioned earlier, MNC Northeast is being strengthened, it has been agreed to investigate the possibility of exchanging units or formations similar to what is being done with the Dutch, and of mutual training of reserve officers, plus to intensify joint training in general.

 

- France: French-German Brigade and mutual officer training are long established, plus there is the joint training center for Tiger helicopter crews in Le Cannet des Maures.

 

- Austria: Joint generation of an EU Battle Group in 2016 and use of mountain training facilities; there are plans for rotating use of the German, Austrian and Swiss schools. Other possibilities for more deployment-oriented cooperation are under investigation.

 

- Israel: Exchange of deployment experiences and joint training and exercises; there are intentions to use Israeli urban combat training facilities to the level of a reinforced infantry company.

 

There is some other stuff, mostly concerning training for jointly-used or German-delivered equipment with the Brits, Singapore etc., or plans to develop the Bückeburg helicopter school into a multinational training center for NH 90 users with Sweden, Norway and Spain. Plus the general commitments in NATO and EU, but also more far-ranging things like discussing possibilities of cooperation with Japan.

[BansheeOne]

After Dutch 11 Airmobile Brigade was recently OPCON-assigned to German Division Schnelle Kräfte, apparently the same is now planned for NL 43rd Mechanized Brigade to 1st Panzer Division. This makes of course sense for the Dutch since they smartly got rid of all their tanks, but as 1st Panzer is the German contribution to MNC SW, that would theoretically get the Dutch involved with it; ordinarily such arrangements come with multinational rotation of top command posts, and I have the feeling this is to supplant current I. GER-NL Corps, since we now have an abundance of corps HQs to lead the paltry brigades most European national forces have been reduced to.

 

Furthermore, as so far only other nations' forces have been put under German formations, the political question is being asked how Germany could reprocitate.

 

I attended a talk by the inspectors of the Dutch and German Army respectively this week, and I was slightly wrong on several points. First, the Dutch actually have a company's worth of tanks left, which they hope to save by assigning it to a German tank battalion that is to be activated for the purpose, then assigned to Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade, which in turn will be assigned to German 1st Panzer Division. That's some pretty ambitious military integration; both generals pointed out that 75 percent of their respective top-level formations will be integrated with each other.

 

Also, from what they said I. GER-NL Corps will continue to exist with the aim of acting as a deployable force HQ, though they allowed that by now there was an abundance of HQs competing for possible operative command of scarce forces ...

 

With Poland, the intention is to swap one battalion each between brigades of both sides, though I failed to ask whether they would actually be based on the far side of their own border, a pretty relevant point in view of the current efforts to reassure East European NATO members and the limits of the NATO-Russia Founding Act to same.

[Panzermann]

One company? Even Belgium has more with its mixed battalion of two companies of Leopard and Piranha each. Or did they slash those in the meantime?

[TonyE]

The belgians got rid of their tanks many years ago.

[Daan]

The Dutch army strives to maintain a small number of tanks to retain knowledge and skills to facilitate expansion when needed. Well, that is the idea anyway.

[BansheeOne]

I. GER-NL Corps is also the designated NRF HQ for next year.

[Sikkiyn]

 

I knew that company officers and sometimes field officers quite regularly serve in other NATO armies, but a Brigadier General is a bit different. Are there other foreigners serving that high in the chain of command in the US Army or other Forces? (excluding nationality mixed units)

 

 

I have served under several during my time, One of the most notable being German LG Kather. I have no complaints, like the German style when it comes to no nonsense, get-r-done, mentality.

[BansheeOne]

I attended a talk by the inspectors of the Dutch and German Army respectively this week, and I was slightly wrong on several points. First, the Dutch actually have a company's worth of tanks left, which they hope to save by assigning it to a German tank battalion that is to be activated for the purpose, then assigned to Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade, which in turn will be assigned to German 1st Panzer Division. That's some pretty ambitious military integration; both generals pointed out that 75 percent of their respective top-level formations will be integrated with each other.

 

The latest rumor is that there are also plans for tighter naval cooperation, including joint use of submarines and amphibious support ships. Which makes a whole lot of sense.

[Andreas]

Amphibious support ships? Such as Mistrals?

 

All the best

 

Andreas

[BansheeOne]

I thought the same, but the one expressively mentioned is recently-finished JSS Karel Doorman which hasn't even been officially commissioned yet AFAIK (though she was already used for delivery of aid to the Ebola-stricken West African countries). She only narrowly survived a decision to not commission her at all for cost reasons in 2013, and is basically what Germany intended to get for an own JSS design if there ever was any money for it, so I guess sharing operating costs is good for both sides.

 

I'm more curious about the submarine part; the blurb I read was about the Dutch participating in operation of the German boats. Of course they still have their Walrus(ses?) which are a bit older than the German Type 212A, but were recently announced to remain in service until 2025, so I would think that joint use would be reciprocal. A common type for both navies might be in the future though.

[seahawk]

Could lead to more 212As. Perhaps 2 German 4 Dutch for shared use? Would fit the 2025 timeframe and keep HDW happy.

[BansheeOne]

Or a follow-on design with joint input. The Dutch boats are more oriented to oceanic use, though I think Germany will remain wed to littoral missions, particularly with the prospect of having to face Russia in the Baltic Sea again. So probably not something the size of the Type 216 which is aimed at the Pacific market (Singapore's future Type 218 is also thought to be derived from this), but it might use some of the solutions proposed for it like the multi-purpose VLS/dock space in a package the size of the Dolphin 2 or so.