Photo By Staff Sgt. Eric Roberts | Sgt. 1st Class James L. Brown, 131st Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Alabama Army...... read more read more
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Throughout the history of the Alabama Army National Guard, its Soldiers have been utilized by the United States and NATO in various combat and training missions at home and abroad.
There is a renewed interest in training missions and the U.S. presence in Europe, and the Alabama Army National Guard is part of that mission, said Sgt. Bethany Mcmeans of the 131st Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Montgomery.
McMeans and four other members of the 131st traveled to the German state of Bavaria, May 14 - June 9, to provide public affairs support to the multinational exercise, Combined Resolve II.
Combined Resolve II is a U.S. Army Europe-led, multinational exercise at the Joint Multinational Training Command’s Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr Training Areas, May 15-Jun. 30, 2014. The exercise includes more than 4,000 participants and trains the U.S. Army’s European Rotational Force - the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division - alongside allies and partners from 15 European countries.
“Training with NATO has been an amazing opportunity. I have had the chance to work with multiple nations, which has helped train me to be a better Soldier in my field,” said McMeans.
McMeans added that her unit’s missions involved providing support with still photography, videography, radio stories and news stories.
“I personally worked with the French, the Austrians and the Croatians on multiple missions throughout our annual training in Germany. Being someone that has never worked with other nations, you often think you are the best. But working with other nations gives you insight on how well-trained and powerful our partners and allies actually are,” said McMeans.
Sgt. 1st Class James L. Brown said, as a member of the 131st MPAD, he has been part of several missions to Europe, but will remember Germany over others due to the amount of partners working together.
“It’s great to work missions at home in Alabama, but when you’re part of an overseas operation, you get a different perspective. Not only do you get to work in and experience locations you wouldn’t otherwise, you also get to interact with and meet people from all over the world. It’s broadened my military career in many ways,” said Brown.
Lt. Col. Brian Carlin, Public Affairs officer, Joint Multinational Training Command, Grafenwohr, Germany, said that, in the midst of Combined Resolve II, the 131st MPAD played a large role in “telling the story” of the “sons and daughters of America.”
“Public Affairs is telling the story of all the great work that American service members are doing everyday around the world,” said Carlin. “Public Affairs is still relevant. We live in a media intensive environment; we display what the U.S., NATO and partner nations are doing. Without Public Affairs the world won’t understand what great work is being done.”
“Public Affairs is more than just taking pictures,” says McMeans.
With multiple experiences and products to show, McMeans added that this was a trip she would never forget.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2014 20:10 |
| Story ID: | 132840 |
| Location: | MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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