Soldiers of 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, participated in Exercise Dragoon Crossing, an over-six-week-long convoy that the unit has been making, starting from Vilseck, Germany and continuing through over four different countries of allied nations.
The exercise brings together American Soldiers from 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, as well as Romanian forces. The exercise demonstrates how dragoon crossing is enhancing interoperability, the alliance's operational freedom of movement and how NATO can sustain strategic access within the countries.
Exercise Dragoon Crossing is in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a multinational combined arms exercise, which takes place across Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania to enhance multinational interoperability, to strengthen relationships among allied militaries, to contribute to regional stability, and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO.
The ability to have such freedom of movement and trust between the U.S. and its Allies is an invaluable asset to interoperability; a concept that Lieutenant Col. Jonathan Due, native of Houston, Texas and squadron commander for 4th Squadron wanted to highlight.
"Developing that mutual effectiveness between tactical units really defines interoperability," said Due. "It comes down to relationships, it comes down to having that shared understanding and common visualization… It allows us to plan, with a very sharp level of detail to use allied capabilities, river crossing capabilities that our units do not possess."
Soldiers are not only establishing positive relationships with numerous Allied countries, they are also doors to learning opportunities for the junior leadership of all countries involved.
"What Dragoon Crossing has really offered for both my unit and the units we have been able to work with is unmatched opportunities for leader development, where junior leaders to be able to take advantage of the opportunity to work with our counterparts in our allied nations," Due said.
The positive results of exercises such as Exercise Dragoon River Crossing are innumerable and are reflected in the growth and development of not only leaders but junior Soldiers as well.
Pvt. Gene Lee, native of Alpharetta, Georgia and cavalry scout for 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Reg., was grateful for the chance to be a part of Exercise Dragoon River Crossing and accompany his unit in the convoy.
"Getting to travel to Hungary and Romania and getting to see different countries and experience different cultures has been an amazing experience for me," said Lee. "Since we left from Germany it's really broadened my perspective on a lot of things."
A long journey on a convoy, crossing the borders of over four different countries can inspire anyone, especially a young soldier.
Lee commented that his time on the convoy has brought him closer to the other soldiers in his unit and it has opened his eyes to many different parts of the world. Lee stated, "as we were coming down from Germany, we would see citizens lining the streets and they would wave and smile at us and it gave me hope that we are actually doing something good."
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