Estonian joins U.S. troops, shoots big guns

Photo By Sgt. Juana Nesbitt | Sgt. Kert Klavin, of Tallinn, Estonia, a Soldier in the Estonian Defense Force’s Kalev Infantry Battalion identifies his target during a combined live-fire range Aug. 30 at the Central Training Area near Tapa, Estonia. As a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve’s mission, the training was a chance for U.S. and Estonian Soldiers to build friendships on an individual and professional level. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Juana M. Nesbitt, 13th Public Affairs Detachment)  

TAPA, ESTONIA

08.30.2015

Story by Sgt. Juana Nesbitt 

7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, Estonia – Amidst the flashes of lightening and rumble of thunder from the skies above, U.S. and Estonian Soldiers answered back with a rumble of their own during a live-fire range Aug. 30, at the Central Training Area near Tapa, Estonia.

“Today we are conducting a live-fire range with the MK19 grenade launcher, M2 .50-caliber machine gun and the BGM-71 TOW antitank missile with some of the Estonian Scout Battalion’s Soldiers,” said 1st Lt. Joseph Hathcock, of Merritt Island, Florida, commander of Destined Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

The range was a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing series of training events and exercises designed to build relationships, trust and interoperability between the United States and its NATO allies.

For Hathcock, this type of training “is an important step in ensuring our NATO alliance and making sure we are prepared for anything in the future,” he said. “It also allows us to share some of our tactics and techniques while getting to know one another.”

Before the range, Estonian Defense Force Soldiers joined their U.S. counterparts in the preliminary marksmanship training conducted earlier that week.

“This is a really good experience,” said 2nd Lt. Hannes Reinup, of Tallinn, Estonia, a platoon leader with the Estonian Defense Force’s Scouts Battalion. “We don’t have these kinds of weapons systems in our armory, so it’s a really new experience for our Soldiers.”

During the classroom and practical instruction however, Reinup, noticed something a little different.

“U.S. Army instructors are more friendly and help the Soldiers feel comfortable while learning, Estonian instructors [on the other hand] are much more strict,” said Reinup. “It is something we can probably adopt from these guys.”

Hathcock and Reinup agreed that the mere experience of training together strengthens the alliance between the United States and Estonia.

“[Through this training], we get to know one another in the process, said Hathcock. The training also enables them to build up to more training events in the future, he added.

• Date Taken: 08.30.2015
• Date Posted: 08.31.2015 03:31
• Story ID: 174705
• Location: TAPA, EE