Franco-German Brigade, 1/02/2012:

Wednesday morning we visited the base of the (only) Franco-German brigade. The brigade, which is the only collaboration of its kind on the tactical level, serves as a reminder that Germany and France are now allies and as a symbol of hope that other “eternal” rivalries can eventually be resolved.

In true binational style, we received a presentation by both a German and a Frenchman. They both spoke exquisite English and made it clear that all high level commands in the brigade are given in English (and therefore, all upper level commanders speak English), since that is the language of NATO. The day-to-day occurs in your native language but all members of the brigade must be able to understand (though not necessarily speak) French and German. 

While I am not the most knowledgeable or passionate about the military (neither for nor against), I found the entire experience fascinating. I didn’t realize that every aspect of a binational brigade is challenging; everyone is subject to their national regulations but must also find a way to mesh the different protocols together in order to ever accomplish anything. The brigade is a true example of compromise.

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