2CR conducts multiple summer training exercises across Europe

Photo By 1st Lt. Connor Coombes | U.S. Soldiers from the Comanche Troop, 1st Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, stop to refuel in Podivín, Czech Republic, during Saber Guardian 2019. SG19 involved a tactical road march from Rose Barracks, Germany to Cincu, Romania. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Billy Anse Lacroix)  

GRAFENWOHR, BY, GERMANY

10.21.2019

Courtesy Story

2d Cavalry Regiment

Story by 1st Lt. Billy Anse Lacroix

U.S. Army Soldiers from the 2d Cavalry Regiment have traveled across several countries this summer to conduct various live-fire ranges and artillery exercises. The Regiment displayed its capabilities, rapidly deploying across the European theater in defense of the alliance.

Spearheading the strategic effort by U.S. Army Europe and NATO to enhance the interoperability of the alliance, 2CR participated in exercises such as Saber Guardian 2019, led by the 1st Squadron, 2CR, and Agile Spirit 2019, led by the 2nd Squadron, 2CR. Both exercises had similar scenarios, in which a heavily armed enemy force attempts to impede NATO communications around the Black Sea. Responding to the attack, an allied unit had to quickly move into position to defend the area and prevent the attack.

The first exercise, Saber Guardian 2019, was co-led by the Romanian Land Forces and the 1/2CR, also known as the War Eagles. The exercise began with a nearly 1000-mile tactical road march, first to Varpalota, Hungary and then to Cincu, Romania.

While in Hungary, the War Eagles took the opportunity to plan and execute missions which required coordinated support from engineers, artillery and aviation assets. The training allowed troops on the ground to maneuver and seize their objectives while using integrated systems. The combined arms live-fire exercise validated the squadron's ability to plan and conduct a deliberate attack on any potential adversary in the region.

Junior and senior leaders learned how to control multiple formations and assets in support of those formations and to synchronize them in time and space.

Once they arrived in Romania, the War Eagles used Stryker armored vehicles in force-on-force training against the Romanian Army's armored personnel carriers. With the combination of firepower from the Stryker javelin missiles and 30mm cannons, as well as strategies from the dismounted personnel, Soldiers spent hours battling their Romanian counterparts in an effort aimed at testing the unit's readiness to defend the alliance in both the Balkan and the Black Sea regions.

The second exercise, Agile Spirit 2019, was a joint multinational exercise co-led by the Georgian Defense Forces and U.S. Army Europe. This exercise incorporated a command post exercise, a field training exercise, and live-fire ranges.

In the Vaziani Training Area, Georgia, the multinational training event was spearheaded by the 2nd Squadron, 2CR, also known as the Cougar Squadron. The training was meant to strengthen the defense capabilities and interoperability of the Georgian Defense Forces, U.S. forces and other NATO allies.

The Cougar Squadron Soldiers began the exercise by conducting multiple small arms ranges, firing weapons such as the M4 rifle, M320 grenade launcher, M240 machine gun, AT-4 anti-tank weapon and MK19 grenade launcher.

These ranges allowed for Soldiers to orientate themselves with their weapon systems before they culminated with a squadron level live-fire training exercise.

Overall, the goal was to establish and develop a multinational regional partnership to enhance capabilities and security in the Black Sea region. 2CR will continue to bolster its interoperability within the NATO alliance during the upcoming exercise, Dragoon Ready 20.

• Date Taken: 10.21.2019
• Date Posted: 10.22.2019 10:28
• Story ID: 348408
• Location: GRAFENWOHR, BY, DE