One team; one fight - Bonds created serve mission intent

By Sgt. Lance PoundsJune 24, 2015

One team; one fight: Bonds created serve mission intent
Spcs. John Ridgley and Alejandro Vedia, two of more than 150 Soldiers assigned to 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, bond with Samuel Luna and Sanchez Ruiz Gonzalo, Legionnaires assigned to 2nd Brigade Spanish Le... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ALMERIA, Spain - Breaking the ice can be difficult if you don't speak the language, or so Spc. John Ridgley though.

A battle buddy, Spc. Alejandro Vedia offered to help Ridgley by translating English to Spanish for him.

"I'd like to pay those Legionnaires order," said Ridgley. Vedia translated the message in Spanish to a waitress in the base cantina.

Before Ridgley knew it, he was being flagged to be the Legionnaires for come sit with them.

Ridgley and Vedia obliged.

The Specialists are two of more than 150 Soldiers assigned to 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, in Almeria, Spain to participate in African Readiness Training 15, a combined arms exercise with the Spanish Legion and Marines from 2nd Platoon, F Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, June 1-19 in Almeria, Spain.

The intended goal of the exercise is to improve combined and joint interoperability of participating of forces.

Ridgley, a native of Lemoore, Calif., said the Legionnaires seemed surprised that a stranger would pay for their order.

"Why did you pay for us? You don't know us," said one of the Legionnaires.

Ridgley asked for their names.

"I'm Samuel and Sanchez Ruiz Gonzalo," said Samuel Luna Tapia, "We are with the 2nd Brigade Spanish Legion."

"Now we know each other," Ridgley replied. "One team, one fight."

The four talked about what they do, where they come from, and how their cultures differed.

The bonds created between the four servicemen, contributes to the overall intent of the exercise, to improve interoperability among the participating militaries.

"They made me feel like I was at home and not 3,000-miles away," said Ridgley.