BUDVA, Montenegro (June 11, 2012)  -- Representatives and planners from 36 NATO and Partnership for Peace countries began the week- long final planning conference for Combined Endeavor 2012 today in Budva, Montenegro.

The event officially began with Mira Cerović, Montenegrin Deputy Minister for Development and Protection of Information and Communication Systems, welcoming more than 250 participants to the final planning conference and emphasizing the importance of the exercise.

"Combined Endeavor is the world’s most important and largest military exercise in the field of telecommunications and informatics," Cerović said. "It is a special honor for us that Montenegro is not only participating, but also the host-nation for the final planning conference." 

Combined Endeavor is a U.S. European Command-sponsored multinational exercise intended to enhance communication network interoperability and information exchange among nations with common stability, security and sustainment goals and objectives.

According to exercise director Lt. Col. Brian Heberlie, this final meeting is invaluable.  

“The final planning conference is our last chance to finalize all of the technical testing and firm up the enormous logistical requirements needed to support the 38 nations and two international organizations at the exercise.”

Combined Endeavor 2012 will take place in Grafenwöhr, Germany, Sept. 6-20, 2012. More information is available at www.eucom.mil/combined-endeavor.