Operation Atlantic Resolve Exercises Begin in Eastern Europe

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2015 – Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren announced two Operation Atlantic Resolve training exercises in a briefing with reporters here today.

U.S. Army Europe began training in Romania and Bulgaria on March 24. The 173rd Airborne Brigade jumped into Smardan Training Area, Romania, for a combined, multinational training exercise with Romanian allies.

Simultaneously, USAREUR's 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment is conducting a simulated ground assault from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base to link up with the paratroopers, conducting a forward passage of lines and conducting follow-on training exercises.

Combined Operation

About 200 paratroopers and heavy equipment, including howitzer artillery pieces, parachuted in to the training area, linked up Romanian forces on the ground, conducted a combined operation to seize an objective, and conducted artillery live-fire training.

Second Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, will have about 600 soldiers participating in various locations spread across Romania, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Germany.

Following their relief of 173rd paratroopers at Smardan, Romania, a contingent from 2nd Squadron will conduct situational training exercises with their Romanian counterparts.

Soldiers Deploy for Operation Dragoon Ride

U.S. soldiers assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, deployed March 21 in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve and began Operation Dragoon Ride.

The road march covers more than 1,100 miles and crosses five international borders. The lead series left Estonia this weekend and will pass through Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic before returning to their home station in Vilseck, Germany.

The mission will exercise the unit’s maintenance and leadership capabilities and demonstrate the freedom of movement that exists within NATO.

As the unit road marches through each country, they will conduct numerous community engagements with forces from the participating nations. Along with the road-march movement, the engagements will provide a highly visible demonstration of U.S. commitment to the residents in each of the nations and the resolve of NATO as an alliance.