172nd Inf. Bde. builds partner capacity in Europe
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany- Sgt. Anthony Woods, squad leader, A Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, teaches the Serbian Soldiers how to disassemble and reassemble the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Bethany L. Little)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany- Sgt. 1st Class Jason McMillen, platoon sergeant, A Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, teaches Sgt. 1st Class Ivan Milojkovic, counter-terrorist, Cobra Battalion, Special Operations, Serbian Armed Forces, how to use the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon during a range held here, June 15. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Bethany L. Little)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- The 172nd Infantry Brigade is helping to build allied partner capacity within Europe through joint training here.
Upon completing the Warrior Leader Course, Soldiers from the Serbian Armed Forces embedded with the Soldiers of A Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, to observe daily operations as a non-commissioned officer.
“We tasked the three Soldiers to each of our line platoons so they could see the different jobs that our non-commissioned officers do on a day-to-day basis,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Rogers, headquarters platoon sergeant, A Co., 1st Bn., 2nd Inf. Regt.
The Serbian Soldiers experienced the U.S. Army’s way of life by stepping into the day-to-day operations in the maintenance section and participating in range operations. But most importantly, they were able to observe interactions between Soldiers and NCOs.
“My Soldiers and I observed the different procedures in certain situations that the NCOs here use, as well as how well the NCOs worked with their Soldiers,” said Sgt. 1st Class Ivan Milojkovic, counter-terrorist, Cobra Battalion, Special Operations, Serbian Armed Forces.
While embedded with the Soldiers of A Co., the Serbian Soldiers participated in NCO led classes; physical fitness training; urban operations; Bradley crew drills; and disassembling, assembling and shooting the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.
“I learned a lot about how the NCOs here worked with their Soldiers while I was here,” said Staff Sgt. Boro Borcic, counter-terrorist paratrooper, Counter-Terrorist Battalion, Special Operations, Serbian Armed Forces.
“The structure is different here, than in my battalion, for example there isn’t a separation of the NCOs and Officers as there is here. A second lieutenant in our battalion acts as a first sergeant does here,” explained Borcic.
The Serbians were not the only ones to benefit from the combined training.
“This is the first time our company has ever worked with the Serbian Soldiers,” explained Sgt. Anthony Woods, squad leader, A Co., 1st Bn., 2nd Inf. Regt. “It was a great experience having them here working with us, and it helped us build a better relationship with the Serbian Soldiers.”
Mirroring this sentiment, the Serbian Soldiers believed that they had benefitted from the cross-training experience.
“The overall experience here was a great experience and a great honor,” said Milojkovic, a native of Smederevo, Serbia. “I have learned a great deal that I can pass on to my Soldiers in Serbia, and I would be more than happy to come back to learn more from these NCOs.”
Find more articles tagged with:
Related Topics
Related Articles
-
Av-Det NCOs ‘Speak Up’ for local community
Speak Up is a modern English language school that uses a state-of-the-art teaching methods aimed at satisfying each student’s needs and objectives. -
The close of an era: A-10 Thunderbolt makes final flight over the Grafenwoehr Training Area
On April 24, 2013, the A-10 Thunderbolt took flight over Grafenwoehr Training Area’s impact area for the last time. -
Aviano Airmen train with Spanish counterparts
More than 250 Airmen and 14 F-16 Fighting Falcons from Aviano Air Base returned from a training mission to Zaragoza Air Base, Spain, March 27. -
Kansas Guardsmen return from week long deployment to Armenia
A three-person team from the Kansas National Guard’s 235th Regiment has returned from a weeklong trip to the Republic of Armenia where they conducted a site survey for basic medical first responder and casualty evacuation procedures. -
Minnesotan, Norwegian Soldiers Celebrate 40 Years of Partnership
After two action-packed weeks, the 40th Anniversary of the Norwegian Reciprocal Troop Exchange (NOREX) has come an end. The longest partnership-in-training between two nations, NOREX has been, and continues to be, a shining example of the positive reciprocity that can exist between allied militaries. -
Italian Sailors Make History on Kearsarge
USS Kearsarge had eight sailors from the Italian Marina Militare set sail with the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group -
Sky Soldiers conduct mil-to-mil training in Bulgaria
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Edwin Maldonado, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles Drafall and Capt. Aaron Becker had the opportunity to travel to Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, to mentor and instruct the 2nd Mechanized Brigade of the Bulgarian Army. -
Allied Flags raised over Del Din marks historic step
The Italian, American and NATO flags were hoisted for the first time ever at Caserma Del Din March 1 in Vicenza, Italy. -
Italian firefighters protect Army's newest installation
The Vicenza Military Community expanded its emergency response capability Feb. 28 as 14 recently hired firefighters graduated from a month-long certification course. -
Proud Manta Ends with Successful Teamwork
Exercise Proud Manta 2013 (POMA 13), NATO’s largest anti-submarine warfare exercise, concluded in the Ionian Sea, Mar. 6.
Comments: 0