U.S. Army Green Berets have taken part in the premier Special Operations Forces (SOF) exercise in Europe that was conducted in Hungary last week.
Green Berets are military legends for service members and civilians alike. They take on terrorists through quiet, guerilla war-style missions in foreign countries. Green Beret teams operate in any environment, from city fighting to jungle warfare to desert scouting.
Green Berets assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group showcased mastery of lifesaving, fast rope operations and self-defense skills in combatives training during Exercise Trojan Footprint 2022 near Szolnok, Hungary.
Trojan Footprint is the exercise that focuses on improving the ability of SOF to counter myriad threats, increasing integration with conventional forces and enhancing interoperability with NATO allies and European partners.
The exercise served to evaluate the responsiveness of NATO and partner SOF to quickly assemble and work together, providing lessons to take into future exercises and planning.
This year’s TFP includes more than 3,300 participants from 30 nations, doubling in size from the previous year and making it the largest SOCEUR exercise to date. Land, air, and sea operations for Trojan Footprint 22 will occur across Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
“One of our priorities is building resilience against adversary efforts to undermine democratic processes and values,” said Maj. Gen. David H. Tabor, Commander of Special Operations Command Europe. “This joint, combined training in Europe will continue to build and strengthen those relationships with our allies and partners, establishing a common sight-picture for combat and peacekeeping missions abroad.”
The two-week exercise also increases integration with conventional forces and will highlight the professional skillsets of land, air, and sea units to respond to hybrid threats through discreet theatre entry and exit. As an exercise in coalition building, TFP 22 is focused on cultivating trust and developing lasting relationships that will promote peace and stability throughout Europe.
“Special Operations Forces remain a pillar of international defense, and close coordination between SOF and conventional forces acts as a force multiplier, leveraging the discreet capabilities of SOF to enhance lethality and dominance on the battlefield,” Tabor said. “SOF elements add capabilities, technology, and strength to conventional forces throughout Europe.”