Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland

By Maj. Randy ReadyJune 7, 2016

Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
1 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Polish Honor Guard marches in to start the opening ceremony of Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland June 6. Anakonda 16 is a Polish-led exercise taking place throughout Poland from June 7-17. It involves over 25,000 participants f... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
2 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers display their national colors during the opening ceremonies for Exercise Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland June 6. Anakonda 16 is a Polish-led exercise taking place throughout Poland from June 7-17. It involves over 25,0... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
3 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from eight countries took to the airfield at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland June 6 for an opening ceremony marking the official start of Exercise Anakonda 16, a Polish-led exercise taking place throughout Poland from June 7-17. It i... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
4 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Polish Brig. Gen. Dariusz Gorniak, the commander of the Polish 10th Mechanized Brigade and the Land Forces Commander at Drawsko Pomorskie for Anakonda 16, looks on as Col. Phil Brooks, the commander for 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry D... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
5 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Support Battalion stand in formation during the opening ceremonies for Exercise Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland June 6. Anakonda 16 is a Polish-led exercise taking place throughout Poland from June... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
6 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Phil Brooks, the commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, addresses a group of multinational Soldiers during an opening ceremony marking the official start of Exercise Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland June... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
7 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division stand in formation during the opening ceremonies for Exercise Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 6. Anakonda 16 is a Polish-led exercise taking place throu... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
8 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Phi Brooks, the commander for 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, addresses the Soldiers during the opening ceremony of Exercise Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland June 6. Soldiers from Albania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, the... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
9 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Phil Brooks, the commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, shakes hand with shakes hands with a Polish Soldier after signing the authority agreement marking the official start of Exercise Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pom... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Anakonda 16 officially kicks off in Poland
10 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Support Battalion salute as the Polish honor guard marches past during the opening ceremonies for Exercise Anakonda 16 at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland June 6. Anakonda 16 is a Polish-led exercise taking place ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

(DRAWSKO POMORSKIE, Poland) -- Soldiers from eight countries took to the airfield at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 6, for an opening ceremony marking the official start of Exercise Anakonda 16.

Anakonda 16 is a Polish-led exercise taking place in Poland, June 7-17. The exercise will include over 25,000 participants from more than 20 nations, supporting assurance and deterrence measures by demonstrating allied defense capabilities to deploy, mass and sustain combat power.

U.S. Army Col. Phil Brooks, commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, thanked his Polish hosts for inviting them to participate in the exercise while stressing Poland's importance in the collective defense of Europe.

"Poland continues to be a key ally for the United States, and the U.S. Army's participation in this exercise is just one example of our continued commitment to the government and people of Poland," said Brooks. "The fact that more than 20 countries are participating in this exercise demonstrates the value Poland brings to the NATO Alliance and our partners throughout Europe."

Polish Brig. Gen. Dariusz Gorniak, the commander of the Polish 10th Mechanized Brigade and the Land Forces Commander at Drawsko Pomorskie for Anakonda 16, said the exercise allows units to build interoperability while strengthening their collective defense.

"[Anakonda] provides participating companies the opportunity to focus on the ability to operate together and defend against any threat to their security," said Gorniak. "The exercise is a chance to assure allies and partners of strength and commitment."

Brooks also stressed the importance of training alongside and getting to know one another on a personal level.

"The relationships built during exercises like Anakonda are more important now than ever," said Brooks. "We cannot ensure the collective defense of Europe without our Allies and partners, and if we are going to fight together, we must train together."

The majority of 1st Brigade will be training at Drowsko Pomorskie throughout Anakonda, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment training at Zagan Training Area and 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment training at Orsycz Training Area falling under Polish brigades.

At Drawsko Pomorskie, soldiers from Albania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Sweden will be training underneath the 1st Brigade along with National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from five states.

Some of the exercises scheduled include situational training exercises, a mass casualty and decontamination exercise, a fire-support coordination exercise, and company combined arms live-fire exercises.

"Anakonda will present some complex problem sets that will test our formations and systems," Brooks told the Soldiers. "Continue to challenge yourselves and ask what else you can do to help the unit to your left or right, regardless of the flag on their shoulder. Those are the people you are going to see fighting beside you in the future."

Related Links:

Army.mil: Europe news

Road to Anakonda

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