PABRADE, Lithuania – With less than 30 days boots on ground and half their unit members in Lithuania, senior leadership of 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment “Stallions,” 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division met with the Chief of Staff of Lithuania's Motorized Infantry Brigade, also known as the Griffin Brigade, to coordinate joint, multinational training events. The Dec. 4, 2020, meeting took place at the Pabrade Training Area.
Lithuania's military forces includes a professional Army and several battalions of conscripted soldiers. This means about every nine months, new soldiers are trained at the Pabrade Training Area that is cohabited by the Stallions.
“My first priority is for allied partner support,” said Lt. Col. Steven Jackowski, the Stallions' commander. “We have the ability to help the conscripts with small team, unit, squad and platoon training as well as anti-tank training and training at the mount site.”
During the meeting with Griffin Brigade, the Stallions commander and Lithuanian Chief of Staff talked about upcoming joint training that will include a joint firing event with U.S. equipment such as the M1 Abrams and Bradly Fighting Vehicle. The event will provide an opportunity for Lithuanian and U.S. forces an opportunity to get hands-on experience with each others fighting vehicles.
“We are ready to work together,” said Griffin Brigade Chief of Staff Lt. Col. Vadimas Jeriominas. “Welcome to Lithuania.”
After the meet and greet with Griffin Brigade, attending representatives teamed up with their U.S. counterparts to finalize training plans.
Later the same day, Jackowski and Command Sgt. Maj. Jesus Pena met with Lt. Col. Jochen Schmitt, German liaison officer for NATO enhanced Forward Presence, Battlegroup Lithuania. German land forces are also deployed to Lithuania in support of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence mission.
The three discussed how best to combine training and communication efforts with Griffin Brigade to ensure their partner and host nation receives the best possible training to defend their lands from foreign aggressors today and into the far future.
“We are looking to get after some maneuver training at the lowest level,” Jackowski said during the meeting with Schmitt. “I want our lieutenants and sergeants to know how to get after that basic maneuver stuff.”
“This is the same with us,” Schmitt replied. “If you are ready, you are welcome to come see what we are and what we do.”
In the coming months, as the Stallions become fully integrated into their host nation and embedded with allied partners, joint multinational training events will become the new normal for senior leadership as well as non-commissioned officers and enlisted ranks alike.
“If there is an opportunity to fire a round together in a live fire event,” Jackowski said. “We want it.”
Schmitt replied, “At the end of the day, we want this as well.”
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