American and Canadian paratroopers conducted a combined parachute
operation onto Bledowska Drop Zone here, May 5, to begin combined
airborne infantry training with their Polish allies.
The exercise brought together paratroopers from the 1st Squadron, 91st
Calvary Regiment, with the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team
(Airborne); Canadian paratroopers from 3rd Battalion, Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry; as well as Polish paratroopers from
the 6th Airborne Brigade, for five days of allied training, including
airborne operations, patrolling tactics and techniques, night movement
capabilities, live-fire weapon ranges and land navigation.
Today, these forces continue the training relationship that was forged
started many years ago, said Polish Army Brig. Gen. Adam Joks, commander
of the 6th Airborne. He explained that this training is the next step
in increasing the multinational interoperability that the allied forces
have been working on strengthening for many years.
The five-day training began, when approximately 100 Americans and
Canadians donned parachutes and boarded aircraft at Ramstein Air Base in
Germany. The two forces intermixed on each other's aircraft, an
American C-17 Globemaster III and a Canadian C-130 Hercules, to meet
with Polish forces on the ground in the Bledow Desert training area.
"It's a beautiful day for jumping and practicing parachute insertions,"
said Canadian Army Maj. James Thaner, commander, Company B, 3rd
Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. "We've got some
good training organized here with the Polish airborne and Americans from
the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, and our soldiers are looking
forward to some good training together."
The jump began with a heavy-equipment drop of a wheeled vehicle and equipment packages, followed by the combined paratroopers.
"There is a lot that we can learn from our Polish and Canadian partners.
I'm pretty excited and it will be a lot of fun," said 1st Lt. Luke
McCabe, a platoon leader with Troop C, 1st Sqdrn, 91st Cav. Regt.
After the jump, Canadian and American paratroopers exchanged parachute
badges at an informal ceremony on the drop zone, signifying that they
may be qualified to wear each other's wings on their uniforms.
"An old paratrooper once told me, 'when evil strives to counter good,
and firepower is greater than spoken word -- death rides a winged horse
-- airborne!'" exclaimed Thaner to the assembled group, referring to the
World War II maroon and blue Pegasus symbol of British Airborne Forces,
from which the tradition of the maroon beret paratroopers wear stems.
Williams commented to the combined force that strong teams are forged by trust and shared experiences.
"Conducting an operation together like this is what really makes
effective teams," said Williams. "That is really what we've done here
together today and what we will continue to do so over the next few days
of training."
The last time the three countries worked together in Poland was during
NATO Exercise Steadfast Jazz in November, in Drawsko Pomorskie, where
150 paratroopers from the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team
(Airborne), are currently conducting separate exercises with other
members of the 6th Airborne.
Approximately 600 paratroopers from the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat
Team (Airborne), are in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, as part
of an unscheduled land-forces exercise to demonstrate commitment to NATO
obligations and sustain interoperability with allied forces.
http://www.army.mil/article/125756/American__Canadian_paratroopers_jump_in_to_Poland_for_exercise/
Retrieved on 12 May 2014
Written by Sgt. A.M. LaVey, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne)
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