Photo By Spc. Jacqueline Dowland | A soldier with Destined Company, 173rd Airborne Brigade, fires his weapon during a...... read more read more
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TAPA, Estonia- Though two forces from across the globe from one another may have dividing factors such as language barriers and differences in training or military tactics, the common bond of joint training builds a strong, united front against any adversaries they may face.
Soldiers with 173rd Airborne Brigade, participated in a live-fire exercise at Tapa, Estonia, June 30. The live-fire exercise combined the knowledge and skills of both American and Estonian military as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Joint training increasing interoperability amongst the NATO allies allows them to defend themselves against all threats, and shows that the alliance remains ready to defend itself anywhere at any time.
As the Estonian and American soldiers rushed forward, then took cover behind protective barriers including wooden partitions and stacks of rubber tires, they leaned on safety procedures and movement instructions given by both Estonian and American leaders, provided beforehand to ensure the safety and competency of all involved.
"The American Army is an attacking force while we're a defending force," said Sgt. Juhan Nurk, 1st Brigade Staff S-3 noncommissioned officer, Estonian Defense Forces, and a native of Tallinn, Estonia.
"Joint training like this is a good way to see how our fellow NATO brothers and sisters fight, and how their tactics differ from our tactics," said Nurk.
As the counterparts took turns conducting training in buddy teams, the hours of planning devoted toward making the mission a success proved fruitful as the allies were able to communicate and work together quickly and efficiently, working toward a shared goal.
"We talked about different ways we could integrate Estonian and American doctrines, and we came up with communication solutions such as color-coding lanes so we could move toward and obtain victory on the lane much quicker," said Capt. Matthew M. McCarthy, Destined Company commander with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and a native of Deerfield, Illinois.
While the American soldiers have worked with allies from other nations, including the United Kingdom and Sweden, they reflect fondly on the interoperability gained from working side-by-side with the Estonian Land Forces.
"The diversity is the best part, learning from one another, and discovering that we're all here for the same reasons," said Pvt. Mike V. R. Bonham, an infantryman with 173rd Airborne Brigade, and a native of Fortuna, California.
"The Estonians are consummate professionals, and I'm happy to be working with them," said McCarthy. "This joint training is great way to learn new things about your partners, as we each take things we learn to incorporate it into how we do things to make what we each bring to the fight even better and more effective."
| Date Taken: | 06.30.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.01.2015 04:06 |
| Story ID: | 168734 |
| Location: | TAPA, EE |
| Web Views: | 715 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Growing together by leaps and bounds, by SPC Jacqueline Dowland, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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