CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, Estonia - On May 8 in the dense Estonian woods of the Central Training Area, Soldiers with the Estonian Defense Forces made history.
"Today is a historic moment for us," said 1st Lt. Martin Rooni, of Tartu, commander for Bravo Battery, 15th Artillery Battalion. "It is the first time we have conducted a whole battalion firing range and the first artillery firing since World War II."
The event was part of Operation SIIL, a training event which will validate the EDF's tactical procedures and is a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing training event in which the United States, North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries and other allies train together to build relationships, trust and interoperability.
Throughout the training area, three artillery batteries set up positions to practice aiming and shooting at simulated targets.
"We practiced shooting towards the main area of the training area," Sgt. Alar Lilla, fire team leader with Bravo Battery, 15th Artillery Battalion. "We only have eight weapons at this location, but there are 24 weapons in our battalion."
For EDF Soldiers, this type of training is essential and can be the determining factor in overcoming an adversary.
"Every Soldier needs to know how their weapons work; this is why we train," said Rooni. "They can't be proficient in battle if they don't know how to deal with mistakes or malfunctions."
As a team leader, Lilla stated that it is his responsibility to ensure his Soldiers continuously improve.
But this type of training isn't just beneficial to EDF Soldiers; it is also beneficial in our partnership with our NATO allies.
"We have partnerships with our own various units and with our allies, which helps combine our efforts," Rooni.
At the end of the day, the look of satisfaction filled the faces of all who participated.
"I can say there were some very special moments for me, but the most important thing is to be a part of a battery position in which almost no mistakes were made," Rooni said.
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