US Soldiers arrive in Poland for Defender Europe

Lt. Col. Ron Sprang, battalion commander, and Maj. Brandon Kennedy, battalion operations officer, with 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discuss their unit’s arrival and subsequent training in Poznan, Poland, July 16, 2020. The Fort Hood based unit deployed to participate in Defender Europe 20 Phase II at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland. DEFENDER-Europe 20 was designed as a deployment exercise to build strategic readiness in support of the U.S. National Defense Strategy and NATO deterrence objectives. In response to COVID-19, DEFENDER-Europe 20 was modified in size and scope. Phase I of the modified DEFENDER-Europe 20 was linked exercise Allied Spirit, which took place at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 5-19, with approximately 6,000 U.S. and Polish Soldiers. In Phase II of the modified DEFENDER-Europe 20, a U.S.-based combined arms battalion will conduct an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise to Europe July 14 – Aug. 22. For more information about DEFENDER-Europe, visit www.eur.army.mil/DefenderEurope. (U.S. Army video by Staff Sgt. Scott Longstreet)