BERGEN-HOHNE, Germany -- Soldiers assigned to 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, out of Fort Carson, Colorado, began their convoy to Poland for their nine-month deployment training along side multinational partners in support of Atlantic Resolve, Jan. 9, at Bremerhaven Seaport.
The unit's arrival marks the start of back-to-back rotations of armored brigades in Europe as part of Atlantic Resolve. This rotation will enhance deterrence capabilities in the region, improve the U.S. ability to respond to potential crises and defend allies and partners in the European community. U.S. forces will focus on strengthening capabilities and sustaining readiness through bilateral and multinational training and exercises.
In total, 4th ID is bringing 3,500 personnel, 87 tanks, 18 Paladins; 419 multi-purpose Humvees and 144 Bradley tanks; a total of more than 2,000 pieces of equipment and containers to train alongside their multinational partners in several countries across Europe.
The vast amount of equipment was transported by three cargo ships, rail, commercial line-haul and a military convoy, and will consolidate near training areas in Drawsko Pomorskie and Zagan, Poland.
"Initially they (U.S. Soldiers) will be assembling in Poland and going through tactical assembly activities to make sure they are ready to fight, which means they are able to shoot, move and communicate," said U.S. Army Europe Deputy Commander, Maj. Gen. Tim McGuire. "They will also go into some training exercises with the Polish Armed Forces and then the brigade will move out to locations from Estonia down to Bulgaria and Romania."
According to Col. Christopher R. Norrie, commander of 3rd ABCT, 4th ID, the unit began training with individual task, starting at squad level, all the way to collective task in preparation of the upcoming deployment.
"We have been training the past few months and it is a progression that includes individual weapons qualification training, all the way through collective training and culminated at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California," said Norrie.
Once the Soldiers have completed their nine-month deployment, the goal is to keep an armored brigade in Europe to defend allies and partners in the European community.
"This (mission) is heel-to-toe, which means before this brigade redeploys, another armored brigade combat team from the United States will deploy with all of their equipment so once again we are getting additional repetition in so we can continue to learn," said McGuire.
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