Subscribe
GALATI, Romania — Although the journey began in Vilseck, Germany, and ended with the forward passage of lines just outside Galati, Romania, March 24, 2015, the real work is just now beginning.
American and Romanian guards stand watch at the gates of Smardan Training Area; M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles (Strykers) fill the muddy, make-shift motor pool; cooks create hot, nourishing meals from limited supplies; and Soldiers go through iteration after iteration of their battle drills in preparation for Operation Windspring, Atlantic Resolve-South.
It would seem like just another day in the Army, but for these Soldiers, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime.
“This is the future of the Army… the new normal,” explained Lt. Col. Theodore A. Johnson, Squadron Commander, 2d Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment.
“It is in line with the Army operating concept we are designed to win in a complex world… we don’t have a single adversary who fights conventionally; we have multiple conflicts at different levels of intensity around the world and most importantly, that we conduct operations and determine options with our NATO and other allies around the world.”
Johnson welcomes the opportunity to work with the Romanians and assist them in building their confidence.
“The Romanians have a very professional military. The only thing they lack are resources,” he said.
“What we hope for them to take away is how to work with other NATO allies and also find ways to improve their own capabilities and build strong relationships with their American counterparts while they are here.”
Although 2/2 CR Soldiers are training in skills that seem second nature to them, the experience of training alongside of Romanian forces offers an added incentive to the Soldiers of 2/2 CR and Sgt. Lansana Russell-Hughes, squad leader with Fox Troop, 2/2 CR is looking forward to the upcoming bilateral training.
“By having their skill set as well as our skill set helps us to better ourselves as infantrymen,” he said.
“I think there are a lot of things to learn. I’ve worked with foreign Soldiers before and I’ve learned a lot of valuable things as well as their techniques, their tactics, their navigation skills. They have unique ways of doing things that we’re not used to.”
Russell-Hughes is confident that the Romanian forces will also benefit from the training and support of their American allies.
“I would like to share with them that we are definitely here to help and support them and to make sure that they feel confident in their skills and abilities as well,” Hughes explained.
“I would like them to have confidence; confidence in their abilities, confidence in their skills. I want them to feel as though if they were in a combat situation they would be prepared to do whatever they must to close with and destroy the enemy.”
2/2 CR has more than 300 troops on ground in Romania along with nearly 75 vehicles, and their Soldiers welcome the chance to be ambassadors.
“We are in Romania to support Atlantic Resolve and partner with our allies and train and have a show of training and force in the region. Our friends have to know that we are here for them, and as we grow together we can assure their safety and our continued joint prosperity,” said Sgt. Louis Saffice, Fox Troop 2/2 CR.
Fox Troop commander Cpt. Michael Farinelli echoed those sentiments.
“The benefit of working with our NATO allies is that’s the way of the future, how we’re going to work,” he said.
“We’ve seen it in the last 13 years or so, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, that our NATO allies have been facilitating us with our efforts in the war on terror, and it’s going to continue to do that, especially with the threat of Russia, in deterring their actions in Eastern Europe. Future operations, it’s crucial that we are joint and unified with our alliance.”
Farinelli went on to explain that aside from slight language barriers, the side-by-side training would not be a difficult operation to conduct.
“Doctrinally we are pretty much the same. There is NATO doctrine that we follow and that they follow, and so that won’t really be as big of a challenge as some people probably think.”
Sr. line medic Cpl. Jarrett Holsten, Fox Troop 2/2 CR is also enthusiastic about being in Romania.
“Basically we are here helping out our friends. They wanted us to come, help train with them, basically do a joint operation,” he said.
“It’s always been my personal opinion that it’s good to help out your friends and make sure they’re squared away and ready to fight.”
Personal enthusiasms aside, Johnson acknowledges that this bilateral training is strategically different in terms of what his Soldiers are used to.
“This is a paradigm shift for the Soldiers, especially the more senior ones who had deployments in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other locations in Southwest Asia,” he explained.
“Our Soldiers will do more of these missions where they deploy to a foreign country but not to conduct combat operations, but to conduct bilateral, multilateral training with host nation forces, which are actual competent militaries that we treat as our equals. As a show of strength, resolve, commitment to each other, and also deter any aggression by other countries who are adversaries of our allies.”
Johnson also emphasized that although training with NATO allies was a key focus, he also had a responsibility to engage the Romanian population, a mission he intends to focus on as the squadron transitions between operations and moves from regions near the Black Sea toward regions near Transylvania.
“Not just to conduct a mounted movement, but use it as an opportunity to engage the public, and allow the Romanian people to become more familiar with the Americans as one of their NATO allies and give them the confidence that our relationship means something,” said Johnson.
NATO allies, side by side, working toward friendship, support, mutual respect. It’s just another Army day for 2/2 CR and the units supporting Atlantic Resolve.
| Date Taken: | 03.28.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.30.2015 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 158555 |
| Location: | RO |
| Web Views: | 349 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment arrives in Romania to prepare for Operation Windspring, Atlantic Resolve-South, by SFC Lisa Litchfield, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT