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BEMOWO PISKIE, Poland — U.S. Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, joined Polish and NATO allies for Iron Defender-25, a large-scale live-fire exercise hosted by the Polish Armed Forces at the Orzysz Training Area on Sept. 17, 2025.
Iron Defender is Poland’s largest national exercise under its Eastern Shield initiative, designed to test large-scale mobilization, multi-domain operations, and joint readiness. This year’s iteration brought together more than 30,000 personnel and 600 pieces of military equipment, including U.S. M1A2 Abrams tanks, Polish AHS Krab howitzers, and allied F-35A Lightning II fighter jets.
U.S. Army Capt. Gregory Brookover, commander of A Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, recalled the integration with the Polish Land Forces.
“I was incredibly impressed with the Polish military throughout the last week,” said Brookover. “They took the lead on planning and seamlessly coordinated the live fire, air, ground, and artillery. It felt like we were working with our own brigade headquarters, and they did an incredible job.”
In attendance to observe the proceedings were U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker and Polish Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, reflecting the importance of allied unity and Poland’s leading role on NATO’s eastern flank.
Mechanized units advanced to firing lines, engaging simulated enemy positions with coordinated tank and artillery fire. Overhead, fighter jets and attack helicopters supported ground maneuvers to suppress enemy defenses.
“We arrived ‘in country’ and within two days we were firing rounds downrange alongside our Polish tanker allies,” said Brookover. “This shows how lethal we are as an organization, how strong the U.S. military is, and how important NATO’s mission is to both the U.S. and our partners. We’re proud to be here training and working together.”
Operating under a Polish-led command highlighted the real-world importance of alliance cohesion and mutual trust. Leaders noted that working under host-nation command and alongside NATO partners, builds confidence needed for any actual contingency.
Exercises like Iron Defender-25 reaffirm NATO’s commitment to collective defense, underscore Poland’s leadership in regional security, and showcase the role of U.S. forces in supporting stability across Europe.
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| Date Taken: | 09.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2025 10:42 |
| Story ID: | 551083 |
| Location: | PL |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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