MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania - Since arriving here in late March, M109A6 Paladin artillery operators from Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, have combined forces - and firepower - with their Romanian counterparts from 285th Field Artillery Battalion.
As the battery's 1st Platoon embarked on a four-week training exercise throughout April, the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers had the opportunity to show the Romanians the capabilities of their self-propelled howitzers and how a U.S. fire direction center operates.
Additionally, the platoon participated in Justice Eagle 17, a combined arms live-fire exercise conducted by tank and Bradley fighting vehicle crews from the armor brigade's Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, and the Romanian 282nd Mechanized Brigade. The field artillery platoon provided indirect fire support during the tank and mechanized infantry maneuvers.
"It's been an unbelievable experience for me to train with the Romanians on my first deployment. To get to show them what we can do and watch them in action is a learning opportunity I wouldn't get back home at Fort Carson," said Pfc. Austin Brock, a cannon crewmember with A Btry., who was promoted at the tail end of the training.
The battery will continue to stay busy in the Black Sea region as part of the 3rd ABCT's mission under U.S. Army Europe's Atlantic Resolve to maintain a persistent presence throughout eastern Europe to serve as a deterrent against aggression.
Another platoon has been conducting training and preparing equipment for a move to Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, where it will support 1st Bn., 8th Inf. Regt.'s participation in the Bulgarian national exercises Eagle Sentinel 17 and Peace Sentinel 17.
"We are incredibly excited and fortunate to have these unique training opportunities with Romania afforded to us," said Sgt. Kyle Burgess. "It's times like these where we get to show what we do and get better at being artillerymen."
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