Screaming Eagles Further Their Partnership With Brazilian Forces

Photo By Sgt. Jacob Wachob | Soldiers from the Brazilian Army 5th Battalion, 12th Infantry Brigade (Air Assault), 2nd Division visited The Sabalauski Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, KY March 2, 2022, where they were familiarized with air assault operations in order to prepare for their upcoming rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, LA, alongside 1st Brigade Combat Team. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jacob Wachob, 40th Public Affairs Detachment.)  

FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

03.02.2022

Story by Sgt. Jacob Wachob 

40th Public Affairs Detachment

Screaming Eagles Strengthen Their Bond with Brazilian Allies
U.S. Army story by Sgt. Jacob Wachob, 40th Public Affairs Detachment
FORT CAMPBELL, KY—The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is committed to building interoperability with Brazilian forces. These two allies have a storied history of supporting each other dating back to World War II when Soldiers from VIII Army Corps teamed up with the Brazilian Expeditionary Force to help liberate Europe from totalitarian and Nazi governments. Brazil was the only South American nation to assist the U.S. during that time period, and in the years since that legacy has been enduring.
“Brazil is the second largest democracy in the western hemisphere, second only to the United States,” said Capt. Nicholas Diniz, the Deputy Commander of the Sabalauski Air Assault School at Fort Campbell. “As a Brazilian Soldier it is a huge honor to work alongside the 101st day-to-day and to be able to be a part of strengthening the lethality of both U.S. and Brazilian forces, we train Brazilian and American Soldiers all year in effort to continue to always stay combat ready.”
A team of Brazilian Soldiers visited the Air Assault School on post during the first week of March 2022 during which they conducted air assault operations with 101st Soldiers, in effort to prepare both armies for their upcoming rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, LA. Brazilian Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 12th Infantry Brigade (Air Assault) 2nd Division will conduct a joint training rotation alongside 101st Soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team.
“Executing these joint training rotations is a great opportunity to build trust and confidence within each other and makes us able to rely on each other should we ever need to fight alongside each other combat like we have in the past,” said Lt. Col. Geoffroy St. Gal De Pons, the U.S. Army section chief at the U.S. embassy in Brazil. “The training provides us the time needed in advance to workout any communication errors, and cultural differences. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to rely on each other.”
The 101st and 2nd Division worked together previously in December 2021 during Southern Vanguard 22, a training exercise designed to continue the interoperability between the United States and its South American partners. The armies enhanced their interoperability by conducting weapons familiarization, air assault operations and tactical training to include setting up defensive fighting positions, tactical casualty care and medical evacuation, live fires, and urban combat operations. Additionally, they conducted cold-load training and helicopter familiarization.
“The partnerships sustained by training with Brazil are historically significant because by continuing to execute training we are adding to the history that all began during World War II” said Maj. Geoffrey Edmunds, the Executive Officer for 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “It’s one thing to say that Brazil is a partner of the U.S., but actually going out and completing this training alongside Brazil’s Army, is a real testament to our commitment to supporting each other.”
Edmonds worked directly with the Brazilian army during Southern Vanguard 22, and is very attune to the need for continued joint training efforts.
“Southern Vanguard 22 was extremely successful and we anticipate JRTC being even more successful as we become more and more confident in each other. When I look at everything happening in the world, I think it is increasingly critical to be partnered with another democracy and be able to have a track record of relying on each other.”

• Date Taken: 03.02.2022
• Date Posted: 03.04.2022 01:39
• Story ID: 415735
• Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US