Courtesy Photo | Marching in tandem to their next training event, U.S. Army platoon leader 2nd Lt....... read more read more
Subscribe
By Staff Sgt. Tom Bourke
ADAZI TRAINING AREA, Latvia - Serving in the National Guard sometimes takes you beyond international borders. During Exercise Saber Strike 2013, a platoon of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division traveled to Adazi Training Area, Latvia, to partner with a Lithuanian infantry company in a series of events designed to mimic situations on a modern-day battlefield.
The guardsmen are part of approximately 2,000 soldiers from 14 countries who participated in Saber Strike 2013. The event took place in the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The Latvian portion of exercise consisted of a series of force-on-force multinational military maneuvers at a former Soviet military base now operated by the Latvian Army.
Through the National Guard State Partnership Program, the Pennsylvania National Guard is paired with the Lithuanian military to help build reserve-centric defense institutions. This year’s exercise marks 20 years of cooperative military training between Pennsylvania and Lithuania, including four deployments together in Afghanistan and more than 500 training events.
“A lot of the guys in the platoon are pretty fresh. Some of them have less than two years in the Guard and this is their first trip overseas,” said Staff Sgt. Justin Bakow, first squad leader, Charlie Company, 1-110th Infantry.
“Preparation is extremely important. I’ll gauge my squad’s success during the exercise on how they react to unexpected situations. It’s one thing to run around practicing as a platoon in the woods. But, it’s another ballgame going up against experienced opponents.”
Bakow is a trained Army sniper and a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. Not only was he excited about going on this mission for the unique opportunities it presented, he recited his re-enlistment oath in the field during the consolidation phase of an attack atop a captured bunker on one of the training lanes.
“It’s clear to me that Staff Sgt. Bakow is a highly motivated leader,” said Pennsylvania adjutant general Maj. Gen. Wesley E. Craig, who was on hand at the attack’s objective to administer the oath. “This is the first time I’ve ever done a re-enlistment oath on a training lane. After leading his men here he’s half-covered with mud. He’s a recent Ranger School graduate and he’s using the G.I. Bill to go to college. That’s the kind of guy I want in the Guard.”
Prior to embarking on a Pennsylvania Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the 171st Air Refueling Wing for transportation to Eastern Europe, the platoon compressed a year’s worth of preparatory training into six months of weekend drills. Starting from the ground up, the unit began with classes on combat scenarios such as movement-to-contact, conducing ambushes, establishing defensive positions and initiating attacks. Moving slowly at first, by the end of their training the infantrymen were running full-speed through the various scenarios in the woods behind their Connellsville, Pa., armory.
However, once they got on the ground in Latvia, they had to overcome new challenges such as communication differences with their Lithuanian counterparts. The Pennsylvania platoon was incorporated into a Lithuanian infantry company and put under the direction of its commander. The two units had to learn to work together as one team.
The first day of operations saw the multinational infantry company setting up joint-defensive positions and repelling an attack from an opposing force comprised of Latvian infantrymen, augmented with an element of U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets.
“Today was our first time working together and as expected, we experienced some differences in both communication and operational procedures,” said Lithuanian Capt. Linas Rackickas, commander of the Lithuanian company from the Grand Duchess Birute Motorized Infantry Battalion. “We will learn from today and tomorrow it will be a different situation. We’ll break down the language barrier and get better during the next two weeks.”
The end of the second day of Saber Strike, which consisted of a movement-to-contact scenario, saw marked improvements in the cohesion of the multinational-infantry company.
“The ‘Joes’ did a great job as usual. If there are difficulties, it is usually at the leadership level,” said platoon leader 2nd Lt. Joseph Dillon. “Though it may have been a jumble at first, we have a history of rebounding.”
In an increasingly interconnected world, strategic partnerships are of paramount importance for regional stability, especially in the Baltics. “Everything we do now is international and with the support of other countries,” said American Ambassador to Latvia Mark Pekala. “Now, the National Guard is more active and more deployed than ever. They can be a model for countries like Latvia. With our forces working together, we’re unbeatable.”
As Saber Strike 2013 unfolded, not only did the Pennsylvanians learn new tactics, they made new friends. Living in an international tent city at the Adazi Training Area, they rubbed elbows with soldiers from Great Britain, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. When not in the field, the troops ate traditional Latvian meals at the base dining facility.
As an added bonus, the host nation of Latvia provided a cultural day with bus transportation to the capital city of Riga. The soldiers explored the old-city center that houses museums, shopping malls, restaurants and a historic castle that was originally built in 1330.
“Coming to Latvia was kind of a culture shock,” said Pfc. Cy Flanagan, a 19-year-old soldier who graduated boot camp Jan. 25. “It’s neat to see how other countries run. You’re pretty much blind to the world unless to get out there and see it for yourself.”
Flanagan said he joined the National Guard for the benefits. He didn’t want to burden his family with the cost of a college education. He wanted to pay his own way and the National Guard was the best way to get both an education and some excitement.
“Exercises like Saber Strike are great for Guardsmen because it helps expand their viewpoint by visiting other nations and experiencing their culture,” said Dillon, who successfully led the platoon during Saber strike 2013. “This benefits the citizens in Pennsylvania because the guys will bring these experiences with them when they come back home.”
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2013 15:30 |
| Story ID: | 108469 |
| Location: | ADAZI TRAINING AREA, AIZKRAUKLES APRINKIS, LV |
| Web Views: | 281 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Multinational exercise provides, opportunities to train, learn, grow, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
