Photo By Master Sgt. Kenneth Upsall | Capt. Gerald M. Stoermer, commanding officer, A Company, Team Latvia, of 2nd...... read more read more
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LATVIA - In the cold morning air, a burst of machine gun rounds from a M249 SAW gunner fired. After which, a single shot was fired from the first American M1A2 Abrams tank in line. With a deafening boom, the single round shook the ground for all standing by watching this historic moment. Then the next tank fired. After the third round, a pause gave room for the machine guns to again fire down range in a cloud of smoke before the three tanks fired simultaneously.
On Nov. 6, 2014, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division fired the first tank rounds downrange in Latvia since the Soviets left in 1994.
“This is the first time we have had the M1A2 Abrams in Latvia, or the Baltics period,” said Capt. Gerald Stoermer, commander of Company A, 2nd Bn., 8th Cav. Regt. “This used to be a Soviet bunker, and this was their tank range. It is interesting to be where the Soviets were training to fight us, and now we are here training our guys on the same grounds.”
Col. Martins Liberts, commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces, Land Forces/Infantry Brigade pointed to the significance of the morning’s event.
“There are not too many tank rounds shot in the Baltics since the soviets left,” he said. “This is a very symbolic start to our joint training event that will start next week.”
The joint training is part of the U.S. Army Europe-led Operation Atlantic Resolve land force assurance training taking place across Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to enhance multinational interoperability, strengthen relationships among allied militaries, contribute to regional stability and demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO.
Teams of multinational Soldiers are working together to enhance responsiveness, strategize on tactics, techniques and standard operating procedures, as well as build unity.
Stoermer, a native of Huntsville, Texas, said that the experience his soldiers are gaining from this training has been invaluable.
“A lot of these guys have never been overseas before,” he said. “This is giving them a chance to see what it is like to be deployed, and at the same time, we are helping out our allies and building some strong relationships.”
“We have had a long history with the U.S. since our independence in 1991. Most recently, they were the first responders to our concerns about the security climate change here, therefore we are happy to host the soldiers and their ability to bring such heavy equipment is very significant. Where you can deploy five tanks, you can deploy 50. So not only is this a symbolic training, it is also logistical.”
Adazi was a home base for the mechanized regiment during the Soviet occupation, said Liberts.
“Now we are hosting friendly forces. This training opportunity has shown our willingness and the openness of our NATO partners and transatlantic partners to contribute to my nation’s independence.”
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2014 08:14 |
| Story ID: | 147140 |
| Location: | LV |
| Web Views: | 328 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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