CHIEVRES, Belgium – U.S. Army Garrison Benelux recently hosted the Belgian-led Storm Tide 24 multinational exercise at Chièvres Air Base, coupled with an Integrated Protection Exercise (IPE) at Zutendaal and Dülmen Army Pre-positioned Stock-2 (APS-2) sites. These operations highlighted the strategic importance of multinational readiness and interoperability in real-world crisis scenarios.
Storm Tide 24 involved 140 Belgian and French paratroopers, with Belgian, French, Spanish, and U.S. aircraft conducting a simulated Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO). Approximately 900 Belgian reservists and civilians were evacuated and processed by Belgian foreign affairs officials, mirroring a real NEO crisis. The exercise also saw Belgian Special Forces, Dutch Marines, and French soldiers simulate an airfield takeover and securing operations.
“This exercise is paramount for us because this is one of our main tasks … to be able to evacuate our citizens from anywhere in the world,” said Lt. Col. Jean-Charles Defawes, Second Commando Battalion commander. “So we have to train for this kind of operation in realistic circumstances, which is why we come here to Chièvres Air Base. They offer a lot of flexibility, opportunity, and realistic infrastructure.”
The 424th Air Base Squadron (ABS) of the U.S. Air Force, responsible for the NATO airfield at Chièvres, experienced a surge in operations, handling 96 air operations in one week, an 860% increase from their usual 10 operations. This intensified activity provided critical training for the squadron, emphasizing teamwork and the Multi-Capable Airman concept.
“It’s a big muscle movement for the whole squadron. Everybody has a piece in supporting these operations,” said Lt. Col. Chelsea Hall, 424th ABS commander. Staff Sgt. Kevin Hallam, a U.S. Air Force air traffic controller, noted the unique opportunity to work in a multinational environment, highlighting the importance of clear communication despite varied accents.
The Integrated Protection Exercise at APS-2 sites focused on emergency response training with host nation emergency services. Scenarios included electrocution at the Zutendaal site and a railhead accident at Dülmen, involving Belgian and German police, fire, and medical personnel. These exercises ensure readiness and strengthen collaboration with host nation responders.
“Host nation participation is critical because in the event a real-world emergency happens, it is the host nation emergency services that will respond,” said Lauryn Miramontes, operations specialist at Zutendaal APS-2. John Hopper, USAG Benelux Emergency Manager, added, “The host nation emergency responders were happy to participate in the exercise and said they would like to do it more often.”
These exercises underscore the importance of multinational cooperation and the readiness of USAG Benelux and its partners to respond to crises effectively, ensuring the safety and security of personnel and assets.
Expanded Coverage:
