By 1st Lt. Javier Donesteve
First published in
SFOR Informer#112, May 3, 2001

Mostar - A command post exercise (CPX) took place in Mostar Ortijes, the headquarters of Salamander Division in Multinational Division - Southeast. The goal of the exercise was the training of the command, control and communications (C3) on the divisional level, as well as reaction capability when faced with different situations.
The exercise was organised by G5, the staff branch in charge of plans, and involved the headquarters, the four divisional battle groups (French, German, Italian and Spanish), as well as the division's reserve Moroccan Battalion, the Operational Reserve (Portuguese Battalion) and other units.
The G5 Training and Exercise Cell is run by Spanish Maj. Juan Rodríguez-Ferro and German Capt. Rüdiger Beisser. "During the exercise, we were responsible for sending different scenarios to the lowest level represented in the exercise (company level), to study how the on-going information climbs through the chain of command," Ferro explained. "In addition, the whole exercise was developed in English language."
The UTD (Divisional Signal Unit) also played a critical role in the exercise. This French unit, composed of 200 personnel from the 40th Signal Regiment (Regiment de Transmissions), is in charge of providing the communications in MND-SE. "For this purpose we have detachments in Butmir, Ploce, Rajlovac and mount Udric, apart from the main one in Mostar Ortijes," said 1st Lt. Jean-Philippe Le Coz. "We use different communication systems, from wire telephone to the French satellite-way system, or the daily VTC (video teleconference). And all are safe."

Related link: Training and Exercises