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ZARAGOZA, Spain -- Approximately 20 Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 213th Regional Support Group are taking part in Exercise Trident Juncture 15, working as a vital asset in the exercise's tactical operations center.
Trident Juncture 2015, which boasts more approximately 36,000 participants from more than 30 nations, is being conducted primarily in Spain, Portugal, and Italy with additional activities in Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, as well as maritime operations in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Officers and noncommissioned officers from the 213th RSG originally volunteered for the opportunity to work in Europe to supporting the exercise and have worked almost non-stop over the past few weeks.
Capt. Andrew Campbell, an operations officer, assigned to the 213th RSG says the exercise has been fantastic and a bit different than what he is used to in the U.S.
"It is a little bit of a change of pace from our home station duties," Campbell said. "It is a great experience for us. We get to work with the active duty component and our multinational partners."
Campbell also adds that working in this NATO environment has empowered many of the 213th's junior noncommissioned officers and officers and is a great way to develop them in a multinational environment.
"It gives them exposure to militaries that are different than the United States military and they get to see how other militaries do things," Campbell said.
Staff Sgt. Nicole Brittain, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 213th's personnel division, says the work her unit is doing at Trident Juncture is critical to supporting the mission.
Brittain emphasized that one of the responsibilities she oversees here is to ensure all U.S. personnel taking part in the exercise are accounted for. Any discrepancies or injuries are immediately reported.
The Pennsylvania National Guard is also part of the State Partnership Program, which partners America's states with countries in Europe.
Brittain explained that Pennsylvania is partnered with Lithuania, a nation that is taking part in the current exercise, and that the SPP is critical for maintaining cohesion between the two groups.
"It is a true partnership between the Lithuanians and us," Brittain said. "They feel very comfortable with us working side by side. No matter what happens here [in Europe] or anywhere, the Pennsylvania National Guard is ready to go."
The integration and utilization of the National Guard and Army Reserve components are one of the crucial components that make up the five pillars of a Strong Europe.
The National Guard plays a critical role by supporting exercises across the Atlantic. It is not only a way for these Soldiers to meet their required yearly two-week training time, but also a way to build partnerships with nations they may be working within a combat environment.
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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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