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By: Sgt. Melissa N. Lessard, 504th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade Public Affairs
Prior to coming to Texas, the Royal Army Soldiers from 3rd U.K. Division were told to prepare for cold weather, as Texas had recently experienced unusually cold temperatures in early February. So Soldiers packed cold gear, to enter Fort Hood training sites to be stifled with a nearly 90 degree day.
Capt. Charlotte Bratby, S03 Electronic Warfare, 3rd U.K. Division, who has been participating in warfighter four four week and also her first time visiting the United States, said that these days have been quite stifling.
Electronic warfare has been a part of the Army history for decades with providing interception, degradation, and detection of the enemy. While the Fort Hood intelligence and U.K. intelligence may not work side by side at the same battlefield, the two are supported together to provide enhanced capabilities.
Spc. Maxlien Crawford from Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 1st Cavalry Division Artillery Divarty, who has been at the site for a little over a week said “Overall, I have enjoyed my experience; over the past few days though it has been pretty hot.”
Crawford works with the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS). The system integrates with more than 80 systems including French systems for fires support.
Welcome Texas weather.
Not only do the Soldiers share their discomfort in the hot weather, they also share similar experiences with working with the U.S Army and the U.K. Royal Army.
While walking through the U.K. camp on Fort Hood it is not uncommon to see Royal Army and U.S. Army Soldiers chit chatting as they move from one place to another,
“You’re all very happy,” Bratby said. “…and very friendly which is nice to be around.”
Bratby has worked with other militaries such as the Estonians and Polish who she said like to get straight to business is no small banter.
“We like to say ‘Good morning. How are you? What have you been up to? How was your weekend?’” Bratby said.
“They are pretty friendly,” Crawford said, who previously worked with the U.K. Royal Army in 2019.
While both Soldiers are enjoying their time getting to know the different forces involved in the warfighter, they both have enjoyed their military experience overall.
Crawford has been in for a little over three years. He enjoys different opportunities and meeting other people.
“You pretty much learn something new every day,” he said. “Even if you don’t directly learn from it, you will look back on it in the future.”
Bratby has been in the military over six years.
“I’ve loved my time so far, I have had loads of opportunities to travel.”
She has deployed to numerous locations completing NATO missions.
Both Bratby and Crawford are participants in Fort Hood’s largest warfighter, Warfighter 21-4, where thousands of troops have come together to conduct large-scale combat operations with unified partners such as the British Army and Ground Army. The exercise strengthens the forces interoperability at many echelons.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.20.2021 20:41 |
| Story ID: | 393768 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Shared allied experiences, by SGT Melissa Lessard, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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