CINCU, Romania (Nov. 17, 2014) -- American paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and Romanian army paratroopers began the first day of a week-long combined situational training exercise here, today.
The first part of the training includes American and Romanian paratroopers qualifying on their own and familiarizing with each other's weapon systems, including assigned weapons as well as live-firing anti-tank weapons and mortars.
Following range training, multiple allied airborne and air assault missions are scheduled with the combined teams conducting ambushes and raids in a field environment against a U.S.-Romanian team playing the opposing force.
"This exercise is all about building relationships," said Capt. Teddy W. Borawski III, commander, Company C, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Bringade. "Our paratroopers will meet and train in the field together and that is where those relationships will be built."
Three days earlier, hundreds of allied paratroopers opened the training with a combined parachute operation over Luna, Romania, while government and military officials, as well as the press, looked on.
"We are happy to be working and training together here in Romania," said Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta. "We're counting on [Romanian and American forces] to be out in front of challenges in the region and the world."
The exercise, termed Rubicon, falls under Operation Atlantic Resolve and is one of two allied training exercises currently being conducted in Romania, with the 173rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion training with Romanian forces at the Babadag Training Area in eastern Romania.
"It's no secret that there are new risks to democracy and here we see [NATO] fulfilling its responsibilities," said Romanian army Col. Dan-Mincea Suta, deputy commander, 6th Special Operations Brigade and the exercise officer-in-charge. "These are significant training operations and we will learn a lot from each other."
The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, and is capable of providing a full spectrum of operations across the U.S. European, Africa and Central Command's areas of responsibility.
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