Warpaint Ride in Hungary ends with combined CALFEX Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise

Photo By Staff Sgt. Ryan Tatum | Troopers from 5th Squadron, 7th Calvary Regiment run back to their Bradley Fighting Vehicle to move to the next objective during a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise at Camp Ujmajor, Hungary August 11.  

CAMP UJMAJOR, HUNGARY

08.11.2016

Story by Spc. Ryan Tatum 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

CAMP UJMAJOR, Hungary)-- Soldiers from 5th Squadron, 7th Calvary Regiment joined Soldiers from the Hungarian Defense Forces for a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise at Camp Ujmajor, Hungary August 10.

Lt. Col. Christopher Mahaffey, the commander for 5th Sqdn., 7th Cav. Rgmt., said the exercise was the culmination of their Warpaint Ride exercise and focused on the Troopers ability to manipulate their weapon systems and destroy targets.

"Today we did what is called a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise, which basically means we use direct fire weapons and in-direct fire weapons and we put them together with live ammunition," said Mahaffey. “We have two Calvary troops fighting near simultaneously, so there is a synchronization that has to occur at the squadron level down through the troop level to make sure that all occurs.”

The squadron is in Hungary as a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a demonstration of continued U.S. commitment to the collective security of NATO and to enduring peace and stability in the region.

Operation Atlantic Resolve gives Soldiers the opportunity to work and train alongside our NATO allies.

"We are working here with the Hungarian Defense Force, in this case the 2nd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, to help build a level of interoperability so that we can work together in a future battlefield; fight together and win,” said Mahaffey. “In today's case we had their Soldiers in a dismount role. The dismounts came out of our Bradleys and fight on one objective while our Bradleys were engaging targets.”

Mahaffey said the squadron’s training plan throughout their time in Hungary takes advantage of training alongside their Allies at every opportunity.

“I think we have been working well with the Hungarians,” said Mahaffey. “We've done weapons qualification, stress shoots, entering and clearing a room together, so we have really integrated at the lowest level to the point where their version of a Master Gunner, the expert on their weapon systems, came and worked with our Master Gunner when we worked our range.”

Mahaffey believes the relationships built throughout these training exercises has proven to be mutually beneficial.

"I'd like to think that the Hungarian Soldiers learned something from us, and I know our Soldiers have learned something from interacting with them,” said Mahaffey.

• Date Taken: 08.11.2016
• Date Posted: 08.13.2016 17:06
• Story ID: 207035
• Location: CAMP UJMAJOR, HU