Sports Day promotes camaraderie, good relations between RCAF, US troops

Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Kylianne Lowe (left), Idaho Army National Guard, and 1st Lt. Path Rachana (right), Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, compete in a soccer match during Sports Day, March 15, 2015. During the event, the two nations competed in American football, soccer, volleyball, baseball and Frisbee at the Peacekeeping Operations Center in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Renon, Idaho Army National Guard)  

KAMPONG SPEU PROVINCE, CAMBODIA

03.15.2015

Story by Maj. Steve Keeton 

116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team

KAMPONG SPEU PROVINCE, Cambodia – With the goal of working together as one, soldiers from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the Idaho Army National Guard formed into teams to compete against one another in a Sports Day meet, March 15, 2015, at the Peace Operations Center, Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia, to promote camaraderie and good relations.

The competition took place as part of the Sports Day portion of Angkor Sentinel 2015, a U.S. Army Pacific-sponsored, annual bilateral military exercise conducted between U.S. and Cambodian Armed Forces.

“It is always amazing to share this day with our Cambodian counterparts,” said Capt. Casey Seckel, Idaho Army National Guard. “Sports Day offers a much-needed break to all during this high operational tempo exercise and allows us to build camaraderie between Cambodian and U.S. forces.”

During the event, the two nations competed in American football, soccer, volleyball, baseball and Frisbee. And while there were winners, no one was a loser, as the purpose of the meet was to allow soldiers from both nations a chance to interact and build lasting memories that will carry on into the remainder of the exercise and the future.

“It was interesting watching the blend of cultures on the playing field,” said Lt. Col. Heidi Munro. "The Cambodians had never thrown an American football before and had developed great spirals by the end of the day.”

Although the game was played with friendship in mind, the players still ensured the game was physical and entertaining as competitors could be seen racing at high speeds during the events, especially soccer.

In the past, the U.S. would compete against the Cambodian Soldiers. This year however, both countries decided to have blended teams, which made for very entertaining matches in soccer and volleyball.

“The prowess of the Cambodians was especially evident during the soccer match, but surprisingly the first two goals were scored by American players,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Renon.

With Angkor Sentinel 2015 in full swing, the two nations continue a six-year effort by USARPAC and U.S. Pacific Command to build humanitarian assistance/disaster relief capability activities in Cambodia.

The exercise, which is scheduled from March 9-20, provides an opportunity to achieving key U.S. and Cambodian security objectives by providing a rigorous training environment for both nations. Cambodia uses the exercise to prepare forces for domestic and regional HA/DR missions as well as United Nations missions around the globe.

• Date Taken: 03.15.2015
• Date Posted: 03.19.2015 21:02
• Story ID: 157579
• Location: KAMPONG SPEU PROVINCE, KH
• Hometown: BOISE, ID, US