Marines, Romanians scale to new heights in Platinum Lynx exercise.

Photo By Sgt. Ryan Young | Marines and Sailors on Black Sea Rotational Force 14, with members of the Romanian Land Forces, worked together during Platinum Lynx at the Carpathian Mountains, Romania. Marines and Romanians fostered knowledge through weapons familiarization classes and mountain warfare training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Young/released)  

CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS, ROMANIA

10.10.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. Ryan Young 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS, Romania - Marines and sailors from the Black Sea Rotational Force, along with members of the Romanian Armed Forces and 300th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, worked together in multiple engagements across multiple locations during Exercise Platinum Lynx recently.

The Marines and Romanians fostered knowledge and trust of different weapons systems through familiarization classes.

“We went into cross training with some of the weapons systems to get hands on experience for both the Marines and Romanians,” said 1st Lt. Jason Retter, 81mm mortar platoon commander. “We set up mortar systems, light and heavy machine guns to create a familiar dialogue with each other and discuss the training.”

Working off each other’s strengths the service members traveled to a mountain-terrain training area, where the Romanian partners set up rock climbing, rappelling and zip-lining systems. Romanian Land Forces Mountain Instructors taught proper grips and climbing techniques to excel in mountain environments.

Live-fire ranges and hikes continued the partner building, with the Marines and sailors executing the same objectives each day with different members of the Romanian Land Forces. The hike was a short 10-kilometer movement through the Carpathian Mountains, with a small group of Romanian soldiers leading Marines through a trail.

Counter improvised explosive device training and 81mm mortar call-for-fire put the Marines and Romanians side-by-side practicing for any future battlefield.

“They are eager to learn more about counter-IED tactics, techniques and procedures,” said Sgt. James Pidgeon, explosive ordnance disposal technician.

“Platinum Lynx was a great experience and opportunity,” said Retter. “It’s more than just shooting rounds downrange together, it’s also that you trust that person to your left and right and trust that unit that you’re working with.”

• Date Taken: 10.10.2014
• Date Posted: 10.22.2014 06:08
• Story ID: 145758
• Location: CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS, RO