US troops, EDF enjoy friendly competition

Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Jared Fritch, of Fairbury, Neb., and Pfc. Phillip Limb, both mortar men with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade work to zero an M4 Carbine rifle during the small arms marksmanship competition May 27, at the Tapa Army Base small arms range. During the event, Estonian Defense Force and U.S. Army Soldiers got the chance to learn of and get familiar with one another’s weapons. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Juana M. Nesbitt, 13th Public Affairs Detachment)  

TAPA, ESTONIA

05.27.2015

Story by Sgt. Juana Nesbitt 

13th Public Affairs Detachment

TAPA ARMY BASE, Estonia – Under blue skies and a cool breeze, Estonian Defense Force Soldiers and five Team Estonia U.S. Soldiers participated in a marksmanship competition May 27, at the Tapa Army Base small arms range.

“Today we are at a small arms range conducted by the Estonians,” said Pfc. Jared Fritch, of Fairbury, Nebraska, a mortar man with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. “We are doing their qualification so it’s a little different than what we’ve experienced.”

The event took place during Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is an ongoing series of training exercises designed to build relationships, trust, and interoperability between the U.S. and its NATO allies.

“The competition is something we have tried with our Soldiers in order to get better results than with the normal tests and make it more exciting,” said Capt. Vladimir Kuznetsov, officer in charge with Estonian Defense Force.

Throughout the morning, the U.S. troops fit right in as they put their accuracy and speed to the test with the M9 Pistol and the M4 Carbine rifle.

“This competition was very simple and straightforward,” said Kuznetsov. “Your guys were basically speaking Estonian understanding all the orders so it went really fluid and fine.”

Team Estonia is comprised of Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, of Ft. Stewart, Georgia, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop and Anvil Troop, both with1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, of Grafenwoehr, Germany.

As part of a continual effort from U.S. Army Europe to build a stronger Europe, Kuznetsov stated he was glad to have this opportunity to train shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. troops.

“I think it’s good for EDF Soldiers to know that one-day they will be on line next to an American Soldier,” said Kuznetsov. “[The American Soldiers] are really here next to them and they have seen that a lot of Soldiers are on the same level in their drills, so it’s not that hard to cooperate with them.”

Although the range procedures were a little different, Spc. Joshua Redlich, of Stone Lake, Michigan, mortar man with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, stated, he was glad to be a part of some friendly competition.

“It was a lot different than what we are used to, but more than anything, I think it just builds bonds and helps make some friendships and meet new people.”

• Date Taken: 05.27.2015
• Date Posted: 05.28.2015 07:51
• Story ID: 164772
• Location: TAPA, EE
• Hometown: CASSOPOLIS, MI, US
• Hometown: FAIRBURY, NE, US