DRAWSKO POMORSKIE, Poland - Soldiers with P Troop, 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment conducted a static display September 21, 2015 at the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area in Poland.
During the display, U.S., British, Canadian and Polish soldiers, along with their vehicles, came together to help the Drawsko Pomorskie community celebrate Veterans Appreciation Day.
"A lot of people have been out here showing their appreciation for my Soldiers and the U.S. Army's presence in Poland," said 1st Lt. Joshua Gonzalez, a platoon leader with P Troop. "It's another great opportunity to come out here and feel the gratitude of the Polish populace and I think my Soldiers have enjoyed it."
However, putting on a static display is nothing new for the Soldiers in P Troop.
Since their arrival, the Soldiers have conducted static displays in several different cities across Poland, including Warsaw, Nowa Dęba, Sandomierz and a few other locations.
It gives us the opportunity to show the people of Poland our trucks and what we're capable of doing, said Spc. Clarence Hill, a cavalry scout with P Troop.
"It's great, this is my fourth or fifth one, so I'm pretty used to it now," said Hill. "I show them the weapons, the turret, and I let them look at all the screens in the truck. It shows how well we can work together."
Despite their many community engagements, the addition of the Canadian and British soldiers makes this static display different from previous ones.
"Having such a dynamic element here with all the different military forces really just shows the strength of NATO's presence in Poland," said Gonzalez. "It shows that we're all here and committed to the mission. I think showing the Polish populace makes a huge statement."
At the end of the day, more than the Polish civilians surveyed the various vehicles. With several militaries participating in the festivities, the Soldiers with P Troop not only displayed their own vehicles, they explored others as well.
"We've also had the opportunity to explore the British Challenger [tank] as well as different Polish vehicles such as the BMP as well," said Gonzalez. "Everyone has been extremely open to giving my Soldiers a tour of their vehicles and vice versa on our Strykers. I think it creates another opportunity for us to strengthen our interoperability and build on the already strong relationships we've established."
The U.S. Soldiers are in Poland as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing multinational partnership focused on combined training and security cooperation between NATO allies. Led by the mission command element of the 4th Infantry Division and in conjunction with European partner nations, Atlantic Resolve is intended to improve combined operational capability in a range of missions and ensure the continued peace and stability of Europe.
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