4ID MCE meets with Latvian and Estonian Armed Forces

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jason Epperson | Members of the Mission Command Element (MCE) of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) enter the Headquarters of the Estonian Defense Forces, Tallinn, Estonia, Sept. 29, 2015. The 4th Infantry Division Mission Command Element traveled to Estonia in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve to conduct a staff exchange.  

GRAFENWOEHR, GERMANY

10.02.2015

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Jason Epperson 

4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Staff members of the Mission Command Element (MCE) of the 4th Infantry Division and their counter parts from the Latvian National Armed Forces and Estonian Defense Forces conducted a staff exchange as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Riga, Latvia, and Tallinn, Estonia, Sept. 23-30, 2015.

The four-day engagements integrated discussions about mission readiness, enabling the alliance and enhancing both nations’ interoperability. The two groups also shared and refined Baltic assurances and gained insights of security capabilities.

Brig. Gen. Timothy J. Daugherty, deputy commanding general, 4th Infantry Division explained the importance of the training engagement.

“NATO continues to improve their ability to be able to deter aggression,” Daugherty said. “These types of engagements assist in that process and are essential in improving interoperability and our level of readiness.”

The Latvians shared similar interests in working with their
allies.

“I think we are doing very important common work, showing our cohesion and our common understanding [to defend] our values,” said Latvian Brig. Gen. Ainars Ozolins, deputy chief of staff operations, Ministry of Defense of the National Armed Forces Joint Headquarters.

“Our Soldiers are always happy when they can conduct [training], study something new and to share new ideas,” Ozolins said. “I think it’s important that they can learn from these exercises.”

Ozolins said he sees working more closely together with NATO in the future and building cohesion.

“When you are a small nation [and] have your friends around you, you’re stronger [with more] nations, “ Ozolins said.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Carl Winowiecki, Army Attaché, assigned to the U.S. Embassy, Riga, Latvia works closely with the Latvian National Armed Forces and helped facilitate the 4ID MCE with the Latvian National Armed Forces.

“We have a lot going on bilaterally with the NATO alliance here in Latvia,” said Winowiecki, a native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

“Part of our mission is working with our allies to support our common mission for Atlantic Resolve, assure our allies and looking to deter any possible situations that could come in the future,” said Winowiecki.

“We have a great relationship with the Latvians,” Winowiecki said. “Our troops that are here with Atlantic Resolve are staying on the base. We have good interaction, communication with them training on both sides. We are learning from the Latvians, the Latvians are learning from us and I enjoy the fact we get to broaden that now.”

Estonian Col. Aivar Kokka, deputy chief of staff, Headquarters of the Estonian Defense Forces said that meeting with the MCE was fruitful and that he thought the meetings were successful.

“I would say the most important benefits are the assurances for both sides to be dealing with the problem that is front of us,” Kokka said.

Kokka also said that being able to operate together was important in the future in case of a crisis and there will be hard work.

U.S. Army Lt. Timothy Jenkins, a U.S. Army Europe liaison officer, assigned to the U.S. Embassy Office Defense Cooperation in Tallinn, Estonia said he sees these exchanges as being a continuation of building partnership between the U.S. Army and the Estonians.

“They were partners in Iraq and Afghanistan, where we laid the cooperative foundation, but now we are coming to Estonia and conducting training and continuing to build on our partnership,” Jenkins said. “We are saying, we are here to work with you and are here to build this partnership."

Jenkins, a native of Iowa City, Iowa, explained another aspect of U.S. involvement in Estonia.

“Our troops have participated in many community events such as Estonian Independence day and local fairs,” Jenkins said. “Not only are we out here doing things and being the persistent force, but we are actually integrating with the local populace and they see the positive aspects with what we are able to do.”

Staff members conducted an aerial terrain overflight in a Black Hawk (UH-60) during the last day of the staff exchange in each country.

Operation Atlantic Resolve is focused on strengthening relationships and building interoperability among allies and demonstrating the United States' continued commitment to the NATO alliance.

The roughly 100 Soldiers who make up the MCE now serve as an intermediate headquarters for U.S. Army Europe under the Army's Regionally Allocated Forces concept. The 4ID, based out of Fort Carson, Colorado, is the first division-level headquarters to deploy to Europe as part of the RAF concept.

• Date Taken: 10.02.2015
• Date Posted: 10.02.2015 08:23
• Story ID: 177837
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, DE
• Hometown: BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI, US
• Hometown: IOWA CITY, IA, US