Preparation today becomes tomorrow’s shield as Orient Shield 26 concludes

CAMP HIGASHI-CHITOSE, Japan — Soldiers from Alaska’s 11th Airborne Division, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Northern Army and 1st Airborne Brigade, and Australia’s 1st Division marked the end of Exercise Orient Shield 26 on Sept. 24 with a closing ceremony in Hokkaido, capping a week of trilateral training focused on interoperability and shared tactics.

Over the weeklong event, participating forces exchanged capabilities, refined procedures and developed standard operating practices intended to carry into upcoming training, including North Wind 27 and Orient Shield 27.

“Over this past week we trained side by side, faced demanding scenarios, and challenged ourselves as a truly combined team,” said Col. Matthew Adamczyk, 11th Airborne Division, Deputy Commander of Operations. “A week ago, when we stood in this same place, we endeavored to build our warfighting interoperability at the tactical edge, build and maintain a shared understanding via a combined common operating picture, and enhance our trust in each other’s capabilities,” said Col. Adamczyk.

“Orient Shield 26 has provided a highly valuable opportunity for Japan, the U.S., and Australia to train the procedures and technique[s] required to conduct combined operations under their respective chains of command,” said Maj. Gen. Yoshirô Tanaka, Commanding General of the Northern Army’s 11th Brigade, Japan Ground Self Defense Force. “This Exercise has significantly enhanced our operational effectiveness and our ability to execute missions as a combined post.”

This year’s iteration introduced several firsts, including the integration of tactical operations centers to produce a shared common operational picture at the tactical level, improving coordination and information flow among the three forces. It also featured the exercise’s first joint airborne operation, with approximately 260 U.S. Soldiers jumping from five C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.

Field training and multinational maneuver drills included High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires, while Japan Ground Self-Defense Force units employed the Multiple Launch Rocket System during a Sept. 22 live-fire at Yausubetsu Training Area in Hokkaido. Troops also conducted decontamination drills, practicing procedures to safely remove contaminated protective equipment.

“The best experience I’ve had [at Orient Shield] has been watching the junior Soldiers,” said Sgt. Cornillius Williams with the 45th Chemical Hazards Response Company. “They’re really realizing that things aren’t as different as they would expect them to be. They [the JGSDF] are Soldiers just like we are,” Williams said. Williams added: “It’s just building bonds between the Japanese Army, showing what we have and what they have and getting a better understanding of how we would operate if we would have to do a mission together.”