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Photo 1 of 7
U.S. Army Southern European Task
Italian Army members of the Vittorio Veneto Division, Florence, Italy and Soldiers from U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and the 173rd Airborne Brigade, simulate a situation report during a staff training exercise on Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, June 26, 2024. The division trained with planners from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF in order to build and refine processes ahead of exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24). More than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and NATO Allies and partners in Europe will participate in SJ24 at the U.S. Army's Hohenfels Training Area Aug. 25-Sept. 19, 2024, with the Italian Vittorio Veneto Multi-National Division South operating as the High Command.
SJ24 is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed, annual exercise designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and promote interoperability with participating Allied and partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ebony Neal)
Photo by: Spc. Ebony Neal
Photo 2 of 7
U.S. Army Southern European Task
Italian Army members of the Vittorio Veneto Division, Florence, Italy put a radio together during a staff training exercise on Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, June 26, 2024. The division trained with planners from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF in order to build and refine processes ahead of exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24). More than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and NATO Allies and partners in Europe will participate in SJ24 at the U.S. Army's Hohenfels Training Area, Aug. 25-Sept. 19, 2024, with the Italian Vittorio Veneto Multi-National Division South operating as the High Command.
SJ24 is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed, annual exercise designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and promote interoperability with participating Allied and partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ebony Neal)
Photo by: Spc. Ebony Neal
Photo 3 of 7
U.S. Army Southern European Task
Italian Army Col. Andrea Fiorentini, chief of staff, Vittorio Veneto Division, speaks with U.S. Army Maj. Kevin McMahon, engineer operations officer, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) during a staff training exercise on Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, June 26, 2024. The division trained with planners from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF in order to build and refine processes ahead of exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24). More than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and NATO Allies and partners in Europe will participate in SJ24 at the U.S. Army's Hohenfels Training Area Aug. 25-Sept. 19, 2024, with the Italian Vittorio Veneto Multi-National Division South operating as the High Command.
SJ24 is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed, annual exercise designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and promote interoperability with participating Allied and partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ebony Neal)
Photo by: Spc. Ebony Neal
Photo 4 of 7
U.S. Army Southern European Task
Italian Army members of the Vittorio Veneto Division, Florence, Italy, and Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade simulate a situation report during a staff training exercise on Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, June 26, 2024. The division trained with planners from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF in order to build and refine processes ahead of exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24). More than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and NATO Allies and partners in Europe will participate in SJ24 at the U.S. Army's Hohenfels Training Area, Aug. 25-Sept. 19, 2024, with the Italian Vittorio Veneto Multi-National Division South operating as the High Command.
SJ24 is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed, annual exercise designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and promote interoperability with participating Allied and partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ebony Neal)
Photo by: Spc. Ebony Neal
Photo 5 of 7
U.S. Army Southern European Task
Italian Army members of the Vittorio Veneto Division, Florence, Italy, practice a situation report during a staff training exercise on Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, June 26, 2024. The division trained with planners from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF in order to build and refine processes ahead of exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24). More than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and NATO Allies and partners in Europe will participate in SJ24 at the U.S. Army's Hohenfels Training Area Aug. 25-Sept. 19, 2024, with the Italian Vittorio Veneto Multi-National Division South operating as the High Command.
SJ24 is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed, annual exercise designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and promote interoperability with participating Allied and partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ebony Neal)
Photo by: Spc. Ebony Neal
Photo 6 of 7
U.S. Army Southern European Task
Italian Army members of the Vittorio Veneto Division, Florence, Italy, soldiers from U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and the 173rd Airborne Brigade simulate a situation report during a staff training exercise on Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, June 26, 2024. The division trained with planners from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF in order to build and refine processes ahead of exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24). More than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and NATO Allies and partners in Europe will participate in SJ24 at the U.S. Army's Hohenfels Training Area, Aug. 25-Sept. 19, 2024, with the Italian Vittorio Veneto Multi-National Division South operating as the High Command.
SJ24 is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed, annual exercise designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and promote interoperability with participating Allied and partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ebony Neal)
Photo by: Spc. Ebony Neal
Photo 7 of 7
U.S. Army Southern European Task
Italian Army members of the Vittorio Veneto Division, Florence, Italy, and soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade simulate a situation report during a staff training exercise on Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, June 26, 2024. The division trained with planners from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF in order to build and refine processes ahead of exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24). More than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and NATO Allies and partners in Europe will participate in SJ24 at the U.S. Army's Hohenfels Training Area, Aug. 25-Sept. 19, 2024, with the Italian Vittorio Veneto Multi-National Division South operating as the High Command.
SJ24 is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa-directed, annual exercise designed to assess the readiness of U.S. Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and promote interoperability with participating Allied and partner nations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ebony Neal)
Photo by: Spc. Ebony Neal
VICENZA, ITALY—Soldiers from the Vittorio Veneto Division, Italian Army, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade participated in a weeklong staff exercise with U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) to prepare for exercise Saber Junction 2024 (SJ24).
The exercise, held at Caserma Ederle, June 24-28, focused on fostering a collaborative environment and enhancing the interoperability of Italian and U.S. forces for the upcoming training event at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany.
Italian Col. Andrea Fiorentini, the commander for the Vittorio Veneto Division during SJ24, expressed the significance of the training.
"This exercise is a crucial opportunity for us to align our forces to the warfighting scenario,” Fiorentini said. “Given the current geopolitical environment, understanding and practicing real-world fighting skills are essential. The hands-on training and integration with the 173rd are invaluable."
U.S. Army Maj. Corey Plymel, the 173rd Airborne Brigade brigade planner for SJ24, also highlighted the importance of the partnership.
"Building relationships between the brigade and division headquarters is critical,” Plymel said. “We're learning from each other's NATO experiences and practices, which is vital for seamless operations during Saber Junction."
Members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and SETAF-AF live and train in Vicenza, and often work closely with their Italian allies to enhance their overall joint readiness. Local military leaders from both countries emphasize training that irons out differences in tactics, techniques and terminology.
U.S. Army Maj. Kevin McMahon, a planning officer (G35) with SETAF-AF and acting battle captain for the staff exercise, underlined the collaborative nature of the training.
"This staff exercise is designed to prepare all involved units and build strong relationships before the main event,” he said. “Learning from each other's experiences and refining our battle rhythms are key positive outcomes. In-person interactions are the best way to establish these connections."
The exercise provided a platform for refining operational procedures and integrating various unit standard operating procedures (SOPs). McMahon shared that understanding different units' SOPs and learning how to integrate airborne operations into their plan has been one of the best parts of the exercise.
“It's my first time working with the 173rd and visiting JMRC, and I'm looking forward to seeing the site and how it operates,” he added.
The Vittorio Veneto Division's role as the headquarters for Saber Junction is part of its broader commitment to supporting NATO initiatives and enhancing multinational cooperation. This training marks a significant step towards attaining initial operational capability. By continually honing their joint skills, the units will achieve full operational capability for NATO by the end of 2024.
SJ24 will see participation from numerous nations, including Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
SETAF-AF continues to provide a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and offer scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe. The exercise underscores the enduring military partnership between Italy and the U.S., strengthening interoperability and readiness for future missions.
For additional details and updates on SJ24, as well as other collaborative efforts between the U.S. and Italian forces, visit the official websites of SETAF-AF (https://www.setaf.africom.mil/) and the Vittorio Veneto Division (https://en.difesaonline.it/news-forces/land/change-top-vittorio-veneto-division)
