NOWA DEBA, Poland - While traveling from the Nowa Deba Training Area in Poland, Soldiers with P Troop, 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment stopped to interact with some of the local populace August 12, in Sandomierz, Poland.
"We were invited by the mayor of Sandomierz to do a static display and do a community event," said 1st Lt. Matthew Anderson, a platoon leader with P Troop. "We were able to come out show our Strykers, do a good community event and meet with the Polish citizens to let them know we are here to support them through the NATO alliance."
Having participated in several community events since coming to Poland, Anderson said his unit tries to engage with the community as often as possible.
"We are more than willing to go out and support the local communities," said Anderson. "It says a lot especially as a military entity we're able to go into these town and interact with the public and let them know we are to support them and it allows us to know the community supports us with their participation."
Throughout the event the Polish residents tour several Stryker vehicles, try on and interacted with various pieces of military equipment and simply talked with the Soldiers to learn more about them and the U.S. Army.
"There's a lot of people with a lot of kids trying on our gear and exploring our weapons systems," said Staff Sgt. Jeffery Taylor, an infantryman with P Troop. "I think it sends them a good message about Americans and NATO allies working together."
For the people of Sandomierz, who are used to hosting tourists, the Soldiers' visit proved to be a new experience.
The mayor of Sandomierz, Marek Bronkowski, conveyed his appreciation for the Soldier's visit.
This is the first time an event like this has taken place in Sandomierz, he said. The people of Sandomierz haven't previously had the chance to see American Soldiers and their equipment, so this was a unique event.
Not only was the event enjoyed by the Polish citizens, many of the Soldiers enjoyed meeting people from the country hosting their training exercise.
"It actually boosts the morale to go into an event and actually see there are people waiting for us," said Anderson. "It really puts you in a better mood and puts a smile on your face and allows the Soldiers to see that more than the U.S. citizens care about the U.S. Army."
The training is part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing multinational partnership focused on combined training and security cooperation between NATO allies. Led by the mission command element of the 4th Infantry Division and in conjunction with European partner nations, Atlantic Resolve is intended to improve joint operational capability in a range of missions and ensure the continued peace and stability of Europe.
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