WIESBADEN, Germany -- April 23, 2015, marked the one year anniversary of the announcement to begin a series of exercises now known as Operation Atlantic Resolve.
Originally named Persistent Presence, Operation Atlantic Resolve was a multi-national response to Russia's illegal occupation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
U.S. Army Europe, in cooperation with the NATO member-states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, committed to increased bi-lateral and multi-national training with U.S. forces and other NATO allies; a clear demonstration of continued commitment to the collective security of NATO nations.
The first U.S. unit Army Europe tasked to participate in Operation Atlantic Resolve was 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, from Vicenza, Italy. After being notified of their mission, they quickly deployed forces into Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, along NATO's eastern flank, to work with and train alongside the land forces of each country.
The accomplishments of the brigade during their six-month rotation were impressive. The approximately 600 paratroopers, respectively named 'Sky Soldiers,' trained almost non-stop to improve multinational battlefield interoperability through their participating in missile, mortar, and small arms live-fire events.
In addition to ground movement training, paratroopers from all the countries participating could regularly be seen in the sky, counting thousands of jumps over the rotation period.
While the main objective was training, the Sky Soldiers participated in community engagement events as well.
U.S. and host nation soldiers had the opportunity to visit local orphanages where they interacted with the children, and showed off some of their gadgets and gizmos.
Additionally, in Lithuania, paratroopers from Troop A, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd ABN, were able to completely renovate an aging orphanage in July.
Through these interaction between U.S. Soldiers, host nation troops and local communities, Sky Soldiers provided tangible, personal evidence of the United States' commitment to its allies.
As the Sky Soldiers started to prepare to return to Vicenza at the end of September, approximately 600 Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, deployed to Europe with their tanks, mechanized vehicles and other heavy military equipment to take the place of 1-503rd as the regionally aligned brigade for Europe.
Using super cargo container ships, ferries, rails, U.S. Air Force transport aircraft, buses, and other modes of transportation, the Ironhorse Brigade tallied over 100,000 miles moving personnel and equipment from Fort Hood to Europe, and back again.
The second week of October marked the official transfer of mission between 173rd and 1-1 CAV, which had dispersed into company-sized elements in each country.
Following the act of 173rd in any show is no easy task, but the Ironhorse Brigade did not disappoint.
Within days of their arrival in each country they were already hard at work integrating their armored vehicles into their training with host nation forces.
The two premier combat systems the unit brought with them were the M1A2 Abrams tanks and the M2A3 Bradleys.
One of the biggest highlights of 1-1 CAV's rotation was the opportunity to fire the first M1A2 Abrams tank in Poland. This not only was a valuable training opportunity for both countries, but it also it demonstrated NATO's capability to deploy and train with U.S. tanks.
Ironhorse Brigade Soldiers also continued to seek out opportunities to engage with local communities. Along with Latvian and Norwegian troops, they helped prepare a special day for a Latvian school near the training area, and displayed weapons, vehicles and equipment so the children could get an up-close look and engage with Soldiers.
Soon the three-month rotation was over and the responsibility shifted to a different cavalry regiment, the 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, based in Vilseck, Germany.
As the new year began, 3-2 CR loaded approximately 75 Stryker Combat Vehicles onto railcars in the Bavarian region of Germany, bound for Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
The official transfer of mission between 1-1 CAV and 3-2 CR took place in late January.
Again, within days the 400-plus Soldiers from 3-2 CR were training alongside units from host nation armies.
This rotation focused on integrating the Stryker Combat Vehicle into the training. As the third U.S. brigade combat team to train with Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish forces, the training illustrated the improving tactical interoperability within NATO.
One of the most unique in-country training opportunities 3-2 CR Solders had involved getting a bit of a literal cold shoulder.
U.S. troops in Latvia underwent a deep-freeze swim exercise, something the Latvian soldiers do every year. With a rope tied around the swimmer's waist, participants jumped into a frozen section of a small lake and worked to get themselves out of the freezing water.
The purpose of the exercise was to build individual confidence in the ability to maintain clear thinking in very demanding circumstances.
The capstone of the 2d Cavalry Regiment's involvement in Operation Atlantic Resolve was their 1,863 kilometer road march, from Estonia back to Vilseck. Respectively named Dragoon Ride, it took the unit's Stryker Combat Vehicles across six allied countries in 11 days.
NATO, U.S. Air Force jets and U.S. Army helicopters supported the march by providing aerial reconnaissance and resupply to the squadron as they moved across eastern Europe.
The integration of aircraft and the synchronization of their arrival at a given point along the march were achieved thanks to the arrival of a division-level headquarters element to support Atlantic Resolve.
The 4th Infantry Division from Fort Carson, Colorado, deployed a 100-person Mission Command Element to command and control all U.S. ground forces conducting Atlantic Resolve activities.
As the regionally aligned division for Europe, 4 ID serves as the intermediate headquarters for Army Europe.
The success of Dragoon Ride was a visible demonstration of NATO nations' ability to work in close cooperation with each other, and its ability to move combat forces across the alliance quickly.
The completion of Dragoon Ride marked yet another hand over as 3-2 CR transferred the Atlantic Resolve mission to 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Stewart, Georgia.
As the second regionally aligned armored brigade to assume responsibility for executing the Atlantic Resolve mission, they deployed with their tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, and continue the great work of those who have preceded them accomplishing great things with the allied units they train with.
In another first, last month, Atlantic Resolve expanded into Bulgaria and Romania with Soldiers from 1-3 ABCT, the 173rd ABN and 2nd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment currently arrayed across both countries conducting training with their allied counterparts.
Overall, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commanding general, Army Europe, stated that the exercises would continue into the next couple of years to continue to build the alliance. He also stated the locations would increase across Europe to continue to display the U.S. commitment to its NATO allies and partners.
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About us: U.S. Army Europe is uniquely positioned in its 51 country area of responsibility to advance American strategic interests in Europe and Eurasia. The relationships we build during more than 1,000 theater security cooperation events in more than 40 countries each year lead directly to support for multinational contingency operations around the world, strengthen regional partnerships and enhance global security.
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