Exercise Reforger

Exercise Campaign Reforger ("return of forces to Germany") was an annual military exercise and campaign conducted by NATO from 1969 until 1993 during the Cold War. The exercise was intended to ensure that NATO had the ability to quickly deploy forces to West Germany in the event of a conflict with the Warsaw Pact. It was a basic military planning exercise to smooth out issues in the event of an invasion of western Europe, not just a show of force. Once the Cold War ended, it was superseded by other exercises. Although most troops deployed were from the United States, the operation also involved a substantial number of troops from other NATO countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The last Reforger exercise was Reforger 93. Exercise Steadfast Defender is the most similar military exercise that has taken place in the 21st century, also involving North American troops deploying across the Atlantic Ocean to exercise with European NATO allies.