A recent force protection drill caused major disruptions at the U.S. Army garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, where some students were forced to remain on school buses for extended periods of time, according to military officials. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes)

STUTTGART, Germany — A force protection exercise by the local U.S. Army garrison caused major disruptions this week, as students were forced to remain on school buses for extended periods of time, military officials said Wednesday.

The two-day exercise, which wrapped up Tuesday, was designed to assess readiness and evaluate the need for tighter security precautions. Military bases overseas periodically carry out such measures, which often lead to delays and inconvenience.

However, the Stuttgart exercise caused more havoc than normal, resulting in complaints sent to Stars and Stripes that school-age children as young as 5 were stuck on buses for up to five hours.

The Department of Defense Education Activity did not directly address the length of the delays, or the ages of students involved, but it acknowledged that administrators and teachers had adjusted the school day in response.

“I would like to give credit to our students for their patience and resilience in dealing with the situation,” DODEA spokesman Will Griffin said in a statement Wednesday. “There were no reports of disturbances or disruptive behavior on the buses that were delayed.”

The garrison, which includes four installations and is home to U.S. European and Africa commands, said it’s taking steps to mitigate problems in the future. Three of the four bases in the garrison have schools.

“Exercises often point out areas that need improvement, and we acknowledge that the impact on our students Tuesday was unacceptable,” a garrison statement Wednesday said.

“We deeply empathize with the impact this has had on children and families, and we are committed to addressing these issues immediately,” the statement added.