Paratroopers, Latvian Soldiers navigate forest, friendships

Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Crawford | Pfc. Cory Dagostino, a native of Windber, Pa. and paratrooper with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, double checks his route before a land navigation course at Adazi, Latvia, June 30. Approximately 600 paratroopers from the brigade are in the Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland as part of an unscheduled land-forces exercise to demonstrate commitment to NATO obligations and sustain interoperability with allied forces. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael T. Crawford/Released)  

ADAZI, LATVIA

06.30.2014

Story by Sgt. Michael Crawford 

U.S. Army Europe and Africa     

ADAZI, Latvia - Huddled beneath ponchos and tarps as rain threatened to destroy their maps and notes, paratroopers with the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, prepared to navigate the moss-covered pine forest alongside their Latvian allies here June 30.

"Most of the world doesn't live in a desert," said 1st Lt. Kier Elmonairy, executive officer for Troop C, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment. "The Latvians are solid on their basic skills, better than most of our guys. This is an invaluable opportunity."

Approximately 600 paratroopers from the brigade are in the Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland as part of an unscheduled land-forces exercise to demonstrate commitment to NATO obligations and sustain interoperability with allied forces.

The paratroopers were accustomed to dramatic elevation changes and semi-arid conditions, from their most recent deployment to Afghanistan. The Latvian terrain and climate presented different challenges for navigation.

"Everything's flat and looks the same, which makes plotting points on a map much more difficult," said 1st Lt. Luke McCabe, a platoon leader in Troop C. "Eye protection is going to fog up, their maps are going to get wet and they're going to be forced outside their comfort zone."

While Latvian soldiers conducted their practical exercise independently of the American paratroopers, the two groups were still able to share some of their knowledge before the exercise began. The “Sky Soldiers” of the 173rd instructed their Latvian counterparts on plotting points on a map manually using compass and protractor as opposed to using GPS tracking, said Staff Sgt. Christopher Chambers, a native of Nashville, Tenn., and a field artillery forward observer.

"These exercises afford Soldiers the chance to have an open mind and learn how the Latvians conduct their missions," said McCabe, a native of Boston, Mass. "They [Latvians] know the terrain, and we can learn tricks from them. It's an important reminder that we're not the only ones out here in the world."

More than sharing their skills and knowledge, Staff Sgt. Brett Richardson, an infantryman with the squadron, hopes Soldiers from both nations share their cultures with each other.

"You want to get some decent training out of it, but I would like them to form a friendship and a bond with somebody from Latvia," said Richardson, a native of Panama City, Fla. "They probably have more in common with each other than they know."

The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, is the Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, and is capable of projecting forces to conduct the full range of military operations across the U.S. European, Central and Africa Commands areas of responsibility.

• Date Taken: 06.30.2014
• Date Posted: 07.03.2014 02:51
• Story ID: 135209
• Location: ADAZI, LV
• Hometown: VICENZA, IT
• Hometown: ADAZI, RI, LV
• Hometown: BOSTON, MA, US
• Hometown: NASHVILLE, TN, US
• Hometown: PANAMA CITY, FL, US