Combined Training Exercise Rhodope 23 Strengthens Partnership Amongst NATO Allies

Photo By Sgt. Jaidon Novinska | Soldiers with the 1-87th Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI) conduct the via ferrata station, which involves traversing across a slope with the help of cables and rungs, during a mountain movement technique training course involving high-angle terrain in the Rhodope Mountains on Sep. 18, 2023, near Smolyan, Bulgaria. Combined Training Exercise Rhodope 23 is hosted by the Bulgarian Land Forces, 101st Alpine Regiment in Smolyan, Bulgaria. This year, the exercise is comprised of U.S. Army Soldiers of the 1-87th Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), as well as Soldiers from the Italian Army and the Army of the Czech Republic. Combined Exercise Rhodope 23 is a Mountain Warfare training exercise which trains tactics and procedures in Mountain areas, survivability, mobility and sustainability at the Company level. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jaidon Novinska)  

SMOLYAN, BULGARIA

09.19.2023

Story by Sgt. Jaidon Novinska 

1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division

SMOLYAN, Bulgaria (Sep. 19, 2023) – Soldiers with the 1-87th Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division participated in Combined Training Exercise Rhodope 23, from Sep. 11 to Sep. 21, 2023, near Smolyan, Bulgaria.

The exercise, hosted by the Bulgarian Land Forces 101st Alpine Regiment, included U.S. Army Soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division as well as Soldiers from the Italian Army and the Army of the Czech Republic.

During the two week training exercise, Soldiers focused on basic mountaineering skills and field craft for high elevation training, completed a live-fire range, enjoyed a cultural day and finished with a two-day Field Training Exercise.

Sgt. Jordan Steinbach, one of the U.S. Soldiers who participated in the attack lane training event, spoke about the importance of working alongside NATO allies and partners.

“It’s important that we train with our Bulgarian counterparts, especially on a task like this,” Steinbach said.

“It’s critical to the infantry mission.”

The 10th Mountain Division’s continuous training and involvement in exercises such as Combined Training Exercise Rhodope 23 allows the Division to rapidly deploy combat-ready forces across the globe to support the NATO alliance and project forces.

After the two-day FTX, Bulgarian Land Forces Lt. Col. Stefan Dimov, the commander of the 101st Alpine Regiment, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the exercise and the participants’ performance.

“Overall the exercise went very well,” Dimov said.

“I think the soldiers showed their capabilities with climbing skills, shooting and everything else we did during this exercise.”

Capt. Maxwell Burbidge, the Officer in Charge of the U.S. Soldiers participating in the exercise, spoke about the expertise and knowledge of the 101st Alpine Regiment.

“It’s important for us to build as much partner capacity as possible, and we also want to learn from the expertise of the 101st Alpine Regiment,” Burbidge said.

“We want to take that expertise, knowledge, and skillset with us back to Fort Drum.”

• Date Taken: 09.19.2023
• Date Posted: 09.20.2023 11:28
• Story ID: 453855
• Location: SMOLYAN, BG