Opening ceremony sets the stage for Polish, American interoperability ahead

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class P. Behringer | Brig. Gen. Dariusz Gorniak (left), commander of 12th Mechanized Brigade, Polish army, salutes soldiers of K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, during pass and review concluding an opening of training ceremony recognizing the partnership between the two units and nations, Jan. 18, at Konotop, Poland. Following the ceremony, 3-2 Cavalry Soldiers conducted squad-level training alongside Polish allies in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a multinational demonstration of continued U.S. commitment to the collective security of North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Paige Behringer, 10th Press Camp Headquarters)  

DRAWSKO POMORSKIE, POLAND

01.18.2016

Story by Sgt. P. Behringer 

10th Press Camp Headquarters

DRAWSKO POMORSKIE, POLAND – One American soldier and one Polish soldier stood bearing their country’s respective colors before a vast formation of the two allied nations, symbolizing the partnership strengthened by Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Soldiers of both armies stood together in the snow on the morning of Jan. 18, commemorating the interoperability exercises to come during an opening of training ceremony in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland.

Distinguished guests included leaders of the two partnered units, Brig. Gen. Dariusz Gorniak, commander of 12th Mechanized Brigade, Polish army, Lt. Col. Timothy Payment and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Camacho, the commander and senior noncommissioned officer in charge of 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

Around this time in 2015 3-2 Cavalry soldiers were here in the same place for their first OAR rotation.

“I hope that after weeks of hard training you will be able to train and fight together as one unit,” Gorniak said during his opening remarks. “Last winter was very fruitful. A lot of experience was exchanged. Military tasks were conducted … Make every minute of being in Poland worth the time that you spent travelling from Vilseck in Germany to Drawsko Pomorskie training area.”

Once formal remarks were complete, Soldiers marched and drove Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles past their leaders during pass and review.

“[The ceremony] kind of set the stage … it gave everyone the big picture,” said 2nd Lt. Jake Asbury, a 3-2 Cavalry platoon leader.

Soldiers of 3-2 Cavalry wasted no time after the ceremony, and jumped right into a joint-force weapon’s squad live-fire exercise with Polish allies.

The exercise aimed to certify weapons squads as part of the training progression to certify the unit, Asbury said.

Soldiers dismounted Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles and advanced on their objective using cover and concealment while mounted soldiers in Strykers provided overwatch.

The training simulated a real-life deployment scenario, and incorporated M240 machine guns, mortars and one FGM-148 Javelin surface-to-air missile in addition to their M4 rifles.

“I think it’s great that we’re doing training with our [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] allies,” said Asbury, a native of Warren, Michigan. “It’s very important to build interoperability with our NATO forces, because in a time of need we’re going to have to work together.”

• Date Taken: 01.18.2016
• Date Posted: 01.25.2016 04:30
• Story ID: 186923
• Location: DRAWSKO POMORSKIE, PL
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