By Sgt. Terysa M. King
22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN - In a continued effort to strengthen the relationships between forces, U.S. and Jordanian soldiers conducted a joint high mobility artillery system demonstration as part of Exercise Eager Lion June 4.
For the last week, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, from Fort Lewis, Wash., trained with the 29th Jordanian Royal HIMARS Battalion to learn different ways to process fire missions.
First Lt. Randall Thomas, battalion fire direction officer, 1-94 FA, said working with the Jordanians was a very valuable training opportunity.
“Working with the Jordanian partners, we’ve learned they’re very receptive to everything that we do. They’re always asking questions because we had the weapon system a lot longer, so they’re trying to learn how we do everything, and we’re seeing how they do it because it’s a new set of eyes,” said Thomas, a native of Gwinn, Michigan.
During the demonstration, five guided rounds flying at an elevation of 60,000 feet were shot at targets roughly 60 kilometers way. During the practices, U.S. Soldiers were able learn a little Arabic to communicate with their counterparts.
Thomas said what he enjoyed the most was working side by side with the Jordanian fire direction soldiers.
“The partnership is very clear. When we first came it was two sides, now everybody shakes hands upon seeing each other and ask how each others’ families are,” Thomas said. “It’s a good partnership that should last quite a while. They were asking to come to the United States to do another exercise with us.”