German Panzergrenadiers train Mongolian soldiers at home

German Panzergrenadiers train Mongolian soldiers at home

The Panzergrenadier Brigade 41 “Western Pomerania”, headquartered in Neubrandenburg, is heading to Asia to tackle a new challenge. From now on, this unit from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will train Mongolian comrades over the next two years, from 2025 to 2027. The training cooperation takes place every May for four weeks and extends over 30 kilometers west of Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. A total of 30 German trainers will be sent here to teach various military skills.

This training includes conducting patrols, dealing with the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), providing medical care to the wounded and safely defusing booby traps. Interestingly, Mongolian officers will act as interpreters during the training, having previously completed language training in Germany. This initiative is the second step in the cooperation that emerged after a United Nations Mobile Training Team (MTT) in 2023. The MTT is a certified UN training program, but this training takes place without their direct involvement.

Mongolian forces in action

The Mongolian Armed Forces are currently actively contributing in South Sudan as part of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), where approximately 10% of its troops are stationed. The training carried out by the 41st Panzer Grenadier Brigade is organized by the “Military Training Support” department, supported by the 803 Panzer Pioneer Battalion from Havelberg. This cooperation with the Mongolian armed forces is characterized not only by military training, but also by a great sense of camaraderie and mutual appreciation between the soldiers involved.

The Panzergrenadier Brigade 41 itself has its roots from the time after reunification, when it was set up in 1991 as the Homeland Security Brigade 41 “Western Pomerania”. Since being renamed in 1995, it has made a name for itself and is now part of the 1st Panzer Division. The brigade has locations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein and Saxony-Anhalt. She shows her best side in a wide variety of national and international missions, be it within the framework of NATO or the EU.

Current developments

In addition to working with Mongolia, the brigade recently announced that it will be supporting Lithuania. This comes in the context of increased security measures on NATO's eastern flank, a response to the Russian attack on Ukraine. Lithuania's army chief, Valdemaras Rupsys, and the German army inspector, Alfons Mais, have officially confirmed the support. As part of this initiative, weapons, ammunition and a brigade command staff will be stationed in Lithuania, while the majority of the soldiers will remain in Germany. The Panzergrenadier Brigade 41 has thus opened another important chapter in its operational history, in which it is demonstrating its capabilities in the context of multinational land operations.

The training and cooperation with the Mongolian armed forces are an important step that shows how the Bundeswehr is internationally committed and takes on not only a military role, but also a partnership role. The brigade's historical connection to the GDR past also gives this project an interesting context and highlights the further development of the Bundeswehr in the 21st century.