US Soldiers hone small tactics operations alongside European allies during Noble Partner exercise

By Sgt. Kris BonetAugust 6, 2018

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VAZIANI TRAINING AREA, Georgia -- U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment conducted small unit tactics with Georgian Army observers as part of Exercise Noble Partner 18 here, Aug. 3.

Exercise Noble Partner 18 is a cooperatively-led Georgian Armed Forces and U.S. Army Europe multinational training exercise in its fourth iteration. The exercise aims to enhance regional partner and U.S. readiness in a multinational environment.

The cavalry troop trained with Georgian Army observers on dismounting an M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle, moving to a local support-by-fire position, reacting to contact, and executing a squad attack to knockout a bunker.

"We're trying to get back to the small unit level training again so that a squad, a nine-man team, has the opportunity to come out here and train in an environment that they've never trained in before," said U.S. Army Capt. Sean Keeler, troop commander with the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. "We're giving the squad leaders additional assets they wouldn't normally have to stress their systems and challenge their leadership."

2nd Cavalry Regiment is no stranger to training in Europe, as the unit succesfully completed training missions earlier this year alongside Polish forces at the Bemowo Piskie Training Area.

"Training in Europe presents a unique opportunity that we are not able to get as much as we would like to in the States," said Keeler. "It's so accessible to just go to a different country and work with allies and partners in multiple different locations. It keeps challenging [our] leadership, from small unit leaders all the way up to senior-level leadership."

Georgian Army observers in the area kept a close eye on the training.

"This multinational military exercise is going to help us increase interoperability and readiness between the partner countries and is going to help us provide security and peace not only in the region, but also in the entire world," said Georgian Army 2nd Lt. Zurab Batilashvili, personnel chief with the Multinational Battalion.

Lightning Troop, along with other elements of 2nd Cavalry Regiment, are scheduled to conduct additional training for the duration of Noble Partner 2018.

"Its very meaningul for the country, [and] it's very important. I would say it's crucial for the units because at the end of the training the troops are more confident," said Batilashvili. "I'm glad having you here, Americans ... because the partnership between our countries is noticeable and remarkable and I think it's gonna get deeper."

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Noble Partner 2018