CAMP SAMOUD, Kuwait - Col. Eric D. Kerska, commanding officer for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division toured with the Kuwait national guard Oct. 27, at Camp Samoud, Kuwait.

During the tour Kerska discussed future plans of join training with Maj. AL-Anzi Saleh, the commanding officer of the 1st Mechanized Battalion, Kuwait national guard.

“Well, the United States has been involved in this region for a long time—Kuwaitis are our friends,” said Kerska. “Anything we can learn from them they can learn from us.”

Saleh, at the end of the tour, extended an invitation for Kerska to comeback and meet with other staff officers.

"I look forward to training and collaborating with allied forces in the future," said Saleh.

Although U.S. and Kuwait are thousands miles apart both the Minnesota National Guard and the Kuwait national guard’s military use much of the same equipment.

"We have similar equipment, so in the future we are looking forward to have the chance to learn the different techniques that the Kuwaitis use," said Kerska

Kerska set foot in Kuwait in 1991 on the first of three deployments.

From what I see since the first time I was here a lot has changed, said Kerska.

The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division is currently deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation New Dawn. This is the largest deployment for the Minnesota National Guard since World War II.

The Red Bull guardsmen our here offering base management and providing convoy security escort in the final months of the drawdown.

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