30th Medical Brigade makes history in Europe with U.S. Army Reserve during Defender 2024
*EXERCISE *EXERCISE *EXERCISE Capt. David Nguyen (left), medical surgical nurse, 75th Field Hospital, comforts a simulated patient during the Defender Europe 24 Hospital Exercise on Baumholder, Germany, May 17, 2024. This is the first successful issue, setup, and operation of a fully functioning 32-field bed hospital drawn from Army Prepositioned Stocks in Europe, proving that United States Army Europe and Africa can rapidly deploy forces and equipment anywhere in Europe and provide medical care to our Allies. DEFENDER is a Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness, and is a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from 28 March to 31 May. DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.