US Army Europe commander visits Fearless Guardian in Ukraine

By Sgt. Alexander SkripnichukMay 18, 2015

Arriving in Yavoriv
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (right), commander of U.S. Army Europe, shakes hands with Lt. Col. Kyle Reed, commander of the U.S. Army's 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, during a visit to Fearless Guardian May 18, 2015, in Yavoriv, ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Laser Gear
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (From left) Ukrainian Land Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Anatoliy Pushniakov, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Evelyn Farkas and Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe, observe soldiers from the Ukrainian national guard's 3029th... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Field training
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (From left) Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe, 1st Lt. Kyle Bleikanp, a paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Evelyn Farkas and 1s... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Speaking with Ukrainian Troops
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe, discusses training with soldiers from the Ukrainian national guard's 3029th Regiment May 18, 2015, as part of Fearless Guardian in Yavoriv, Ukraine. Paratroopers from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Meeting with Paratroopers
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (left), commander of U.S. Army Europe, speaks with Spc. Elena Garcia and Sgt. 1st Class Edward Harmon, paratroopers with the U.S. Army's 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, in Yavoriv, Ukraine, May 18, 201... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

YAVORIV, Ukraine -- Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe visited the International Peacekeeping and Security Center here May 18, 2015 with Ukrainian Land Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Anatoliy Pushniakov and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Evelyn Farkas to assess the first month of training between U.S. paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the Ukrainian National Guard's 3029th Regiment as part of Fearless Guardian.

Fearless Guardian is the name for the Congress-approved, Departments of State and Defense initiative under the Global Security Contingency Fund-Ukraine to train and equip the newly-formed Ukrainian national guard. The mission and the program of instruction come at the request of the Ukrainian government.

"I came here to see the training," said Hodges. "I want to see how it can be improved in the future."

The training is a continuation of the more than 20 year-old strong training relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine, said Farkas.

In the fourth week of training, the paratroopers provided instruction on squad-level patrolling skills, as well as urban operations. The visit included observing Ukrainian guardsmen conducting a patrol in the woods and reacting to simulated contact, all while American instructors coached and offered feedback.

"The [Ukrainian] soldiers are eager to learn and have improved greatly over the last three weeks," said Sgt. Anthony Wilson, a paratrooper assigned to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regt., 173rd Abn. Bde.

During the visit, Hodges not only met and spoke with paratroopers and Ukrainian guardsmen, but toured the training area and viewed current capabilities and future construction plans to facilitate both training of Ukrainian forces, NATO allies and partners in future exercises.

"I am impressed at the size of the investment Ukraine has made in the development of the IPSC," said Hodges.

At the conclusion of the tour, Hodges met with British, Ukrainian and German media at the training site. When asked whether the presence of U.S. troops would disrupt the ceasefire under the Minsk Agreement, Hodges replied that "the U.S. is here at the invitation of the Ukrainian government. Russia is in Ukraine at no one's invitation."

The paratroopers from 173rd Abn. Bde. are in Ukraine for the first of several planned rotations to train Ukraine's newly-formed national guard as part of Fearless Guardian, which is scheduled to last 6 months.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of deploying ready forces across the U.S. European, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsiblity in 18 hours or less.

Related Links:

The 173rd Airborne Brigade

U.S. Army Europe

Fearless Guardian