PABRADE, Lithuania - Exercise Iron Wolf, a multinational exercise conducted between NATO Allies and partners and component of Saber Strike 17, ended in Pabrade, Lithuania, during a closing ceremony, June 23.
The participating nations in the exercise were from five countries to include Croatia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and the United States.
The exercise focused on the interaction between Allied nations, exchanging skills and sharing battlefield experiences. Once all organizations were on site, Portuguese Mechanized Infantry forces were integrated into a U.S. Infantry Company, while a platoon of Bradley Fighting Vehicles was inserted into a Portuguese Mechanized Infantry Company. The units remained as such until the completion of the two-week exercise.
In the training area, all five nations, Lithuania, Croatia, Norway, Portual and United States proved their commitment, skills and dedication to operate together.
The closing ceremony celebrated the growing friendship between the five countries and the professionalism all armed forces displayed. Memorabilia was gifted from Col. Arturas Radvilas, commander of Motorized Infantry Brigade Griffin, Lithuanian Land Force, to representatives from each nation.
Radvilas also presented coins to three Lithuanian Soldiers and three U.S. National Guardsmen for duty performance in a platoon attack and defense situational training lane.
The three National Guardsmen were fine examples that represented their platoons and companies best, said Lt. Col. Jason Benson, commander, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota National Guard.
Benson was glad the units trained together well, and being the first U.S. Armored Battalion to train at Pabrade made it all the more memorable.
During the exercise, the Croatian Army provided a support battalion, with staff from the Minnesota Army National Guard and the King Mindaugas Hussar Battalion participated in an air assault with a platoon from the 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
"Talking to everyone, from our medics to our maintenance, they've had opportunities to work on Portugese equipment, with their maintenance, work with Croatian medical staff and Portugese medics," Benson said. "Across our whole exercise, in my organization, we've had an opportunity to do training that we've never had before, and really proved that NATO interoperability, cooperation and friendships that we have."
NATO is strong when we are strong together, said Radvilas in his closing statement.
The ability to work as partners and share skills from different countries, with unique skills and capabilities is amazing, he relayed. Radvilas thanked the participants for their effort and contribution to the exercise, and wished all members well in their military career.
The Lithuanian Anthem was played during the closing ceremony, followed by the NATO song. A U.S. National Guardsmen and a Croatian Soldier lowered the Exercise Iron Wolf 2017 flag.
Finally, in a fitting manner, Exercise Iron Wolf ended with a thunderous explosion.
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