U.S. Army Spc. Francisco Hernandez finds purpose and brotherhood during Saber Strike 2026

Photo By Spc. Thomas Madrzak | U.S. Army Spc. Francisco Hernandez, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, poses for a portrait in front of an M1296 Stryker infantry carrier vehicle near Bemowo Piskie, Poland, May 4, 2026. From April 27 to May 31, 2026, U.S. and Allied forces will exercise the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative, demonstrating NATO’s ability to fight and win on the modern battlefield. Nearly 15,000 troops from eleven nations will train across the High North, Baltic region, and Poland. They will execute rapid maneuvers, air defense, counter-drone operations, and cyber defense to validate NATO’s regional defense plans in real time. This series of linked exercises includes Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. The exercises turn investment into capability. Soldiers integrate unmanned systems such as AI-enabled command and control and live data networks to move, decide, and fight more effectively across all domains. Sword 26 demonstrates how U.S. Army Europe and Africa drives transformation at scale while strengthening deterrence. Together with our allies, we are building a unified, lethal force ready to defend NATO territory and respond to any threat. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Spc. Thomas Madrzak)  

POLAND

05.03.2026

Story by Spc. Thomas Madrzak 

U.S. Army V Corps

BEMOWO PISKIE, POLAND — For U.S. Army Spc. Francisco Hernandez, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Army service has become more than a profession. In just two years in uniform, he found the kind of challenge, purpose and camaraderie that convinced him he made the right choice. During Exercise Saber Strike 2026 in Poland, Hernandez and his unit have conducted a wet-gap crossing and prepared for a live-fire exercise, training that placed him in the middle of a demanding operational environment.

Hernandez, who is from Central California, serves as an 11B infantryman and works with the M136 AT4 anti-tank recoilless rifle. His role is to help engage targets and support the fight as part of an anti-armor team.

To Hernandez, joining the Army came down to wanting a better opportunity for himself and a chance to serve America. “I’ve heard a lot of good things, especially about the camaraderie,” Hernandez said. “You won’t find anything like this in the civilian world.”

That sense of connection has become the biggest thing that stands out to him about the military lifestyle. One of the most eye-opening parts of Hernandez's experience has been the transition from initial training to arriving at his unit. “It’s just realizing that you’re actually a big family,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez’s role during Saber Strike 2026 placed him in a setting where individual responsibility feeds directly into unit readiness. For a young infantryman, exercises like wet-gap crossings and live-fire exercises are more than another task on a training calendar. They are part of learning how to operate as a member of a team that depends on discipline, timing and confidence in one another.

For Hernandez, the Army has already delivered what he hoped it would: opportunity, direction and a sense of belonging. As a young infantryman still early in his career, the process of being shaped by the demands of service and by the people serving alongside him has only just begun.

• Date Taken: 05.03.2026
• Date Posted: 05.07.2026 14:26
• Story ID: 564704
• Location: PL