Engineering exercise breaks new ground in U.S., Serbian military cooperation

By U.S. Army Europe Public AffairsApril 27, 2016

Exercise Sapper Shock
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Erik Stenslien, a Technical Engineer from the 15th Engineer Battalion, demonstrates to his Serbian counterpart how to operate a Topographical Surveying Set to improve drainage at Borovac Training Area, Serbia during exercise Sapper Shock. The ex... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Exercise Sapper Shcok
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – engineers in an effort to increase the two nations' interoperability capabilities.
A soldier form the Serbian Army's Peace Keeping Engineer Company, 310th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade uses hand and arm signals to direct a 500th Engineer S... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)
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Exercise Sapper Shock
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Jovica Draganic, meets with Serbian and U.S. Soldiers at Vrotogos Range, Serbia April, 18. He was visiting Exercise Sapper Shock with paired Soldiers from U.S. Army Europe's from 15... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Exercise Sapper Shock
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from U.S. Army Europe's from 15th Engineer Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade from and the Serbian Army's Peace Keeping Engineer Company, 310th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade, work together to cut down the side of a mountain in... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Soldiers from U.S. Army Europe and Serbia made history this month as they participated in the first ever joint route survey that spanned the entire length of Serbia. This 352-mile survey was just part of joint exercise Sapper Shock.

During the exercise about 30 Soldiers from the Serbian Army's Peace Keeping Engineer Company, 310th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade, which was developed to support U.N. operations, worked with about 20 Soldiers from USAREUR's 15th Engineer Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade. They conducted the route survey and familiarization on U.S. engineer equipment, deployment operation training, range maintenance and expansion projects at the South Base Peacekeeping Operations Training in Serbia from April 7 to 27.

Once familiarized with the equipment and each other's operating procedures the Serbian and U.S. teams executed the range expansion and maintenance projects to provide practical experience and increase interoperability.

One of the ranges they expanded was the Vrotogos, which is a U.S. funded, Serb constructed range, according to U.S. Army Maj. Frank Duverger, an Operations Officer with the U.S. Army Europe.

Several distinguished visitors came to observe the cooperation between the two units. U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, Kyle Scott, SAF Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Jovica Draganic, and SAF Deputy Commander of Land Forces, Maj. Gen. Zelmir Glisovic, visited the training exercise where the U.S. and Serbian Soldiers demonstrated their newly acquired skills, and progress of the expansion projects.

The Soldiers from the 15th Engineer plan to work with their counter parts in the Peacekeeping Engineer Company in future training exercises this year, and also and hope to conduct a civic assistance project in Serbia in 2017.

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