Bayonet soldiers communicate on same channel with Croatian Army

Photo By Chief Warrant Officer Brian Henriksen | Soldiers with 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team instruct Croatian army soldiers on U.S. communications equipment during a two-day training event on Camp Mike Spann, Afghanistan, June 11.  

CAMP MIKE SPANN, AFGHANISTAN

06.12.2011

Story by Sgt. Jazz Burney 

170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

CAMP MIKE SPANN, Afghanistan – On the battlefield, a confident soldier plays a key role in successful combat operations. Having constant communication with friendly forces during patrols in Afghanistan can boost that confidence, especially when communication comes simply from the touch of a screen.

Soldiers with 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team trained 12 Croatian army soldiers to operate U.S. tactical radios and GPS-enabled tracking equipment here June 11-12.

Camp Mike Spann is home to U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine service members, as well as their partner forces from Germany, Sweden, Croatia and other countries.

In an effort to build rapport between U.S. and Croatian soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Mitch Schwans, a Bridgewater, S.D., native, now the brigade communications chief for 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, along with three of his soldiers, met the Mediterranean-based force at a compound here known as Camp Croatia.

Although both days started with mild conversation while drinking coffee or bottles of cold water, Schwans and his team sought to build their Croatian counterparts’ proficiency in the use of the U.S. communications equipment.

“We came up with the plan of training the Croatian soldiers a week ago with the intent of making them self-sufficient and self-sustaining while out on missions,” Schwans said.

An initial concern was the language barrier between U.S. and the Croatian soldiers. However, many of the Croatians at the camp speak and understand some English, which Schwans said helped him and his team during the training.

On June 11, U.S. soldiers gave Croatians a basic walkthrough the use of a tactical radio and a Defense Advanced GPS Receiver, commonly known as a “dagger.”

Despite the language barrier, soldiers explained how to switch through the dagger’s 12 channels and use its map feature to enlist the help of other forces when patrolling.

The U.S. communications soldiers also taught Croatian soldiers to connect and disconnect the handheld tactical radios, and mount them inside a vehicle, said Spc. Hector Plaza, an Aguadilla, Puerto Rico native, now a signal support systems specialist with 589th Signal Company, 40th Engineer Battalion, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

During the second day of training, Schwans explained the capabilities of Blue Force Tracking, a GPS-enabled system that displays the location of friendly forces on a digital map of the area.

“We are going to teach you how to log into [blue force tracking], how to engage the map scales in the system, basic trouble shooting tips and the maintenance you will need to operate both the [communication systems],” Schwans said to Croatian soldiers.

Outside the compound, Croatians parked eight mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles in a row, and then began “hands-on” training.

The Croatians previously used tactical communication systems from France, said Croatian Army Sgt. Maj. Mario Sabol, the communications non-commissioned officer with Croatian Garrison Support Unit.

“Since we do not have these systems in Croatia, being in the same area of operation as the Americans is very beneficial. These systems are great because without them we never would know when our guys would need our help out there,” Sabol said.

Temperatures reached 93 F on the second day of training; ideal conditions as Blue Force Tracking systems are very temperamental when constantly exposed to extreme heat, Schwans said.

Croatians used the system’s stylus to navigate while they wiped sweat from their foreheads and occasionally waited for the system to load.

“This was an awesome opportunity to share my knowledge with our other forces. But this equipment is not only important for them it is important for us because we may need their help when we are out too,” said Spc. Jordan Osborne, a Haverhill, Mass., native, now a signal support systems specialist with 589th Signal Company.

Schwans said the two-day training event won’t be the last as his soldiers will continue “until our Croatian partners feel comfortable with every piece of equipment.”

• Date Taken: 06.12.2011
• Date Posted: 06.14.2011 09:26
• Story ID: 72056
• Location: CAMP MIKE SPANN, AF