KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- Installation Management Command Europe's Visual Information Services Europe, also known as VISE Media, is preparing to support Ukrainian security forces training from their multimedia facility at Kleber Kaserne here.
Over the past two weeks VISE Media has produced hundreds of high-quality training graphics to be used by 173rd Airborne Brigade Soldiers in their scheduled training of Ukrainian National Guard units.
"At the request of the 1st of the 503rd (B Co., 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment) we produced 36 four by five foot training graphics for use in the Ukraine training mission," said Bob Kramer, VISE Media director.
Visual Information Services Europe is the U.S. Army's multimedia enterprise agency and provides theater-level visual information services to U.S. Army Europe and IMCOM Europe's tenant units.
Just as the VISE staff members were finishing up that project, they received a request from B Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, for more assistance.
"They asked us to provide 102 three by four foot training graphics," said Kramer. "Since the unit's linguist had not arrived yet from the United States, they asked for our help in translating and laying out the graphics for the training board."
A VISE local national employee, Dimitri Karin, who speaks Ukrainian, translated the training graphics into Ukrainian, and VISE produced another set of graphics for the unit.
Kramer said VISE was able to accomplish the mission quickly thanks to a new Army-funded equipment package that cost $1.1 million and included a one-of-a-kind, high-speed industrial printer that prints directly onto any type of board instead of on paper, and also a robotic cutter.
The second key to success was having a fluent Ukrainian speaker on the VISE staff. Karin, who is now a German citizen, lived in Ukraine until he was 18 years old.
"I was honored to be asked by the 173rd to translate this material in my native language," said Karin. "I had trouble with the Infantry terms and acronyms, but Sgt. 1st Class (David) Cheney at the 173rd was a fantastic help to me."
"It felt good being part of something bigger than myself and to know I am helping the Soldiers do their mission," he said. "I am happy to play a small part."
The Army has three visual information enterprise centers in the Army, all run by Installation Management Command. The other two centers are at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia and Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.
Social Sharing