CYPRESS CREEK, TX, UNITED STATES

08.28.2017

Story by Capt. Martha Nigrelle

Texas Military Department

CYPRESS CREEK, Texas – Texas National Guardsmen from the 386th Engineer Battalion teamed up with Texas Task Force 1 and the Cypress Creek Fire Department, bringing 1,000 Cypress Creek residents from high-rising waters to safety, just days after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas shores, August 28, 2016.

As heavy rains fell over the city, water levels continued to rise to dangerous and historic levels – some areas seeing more than five feet of flooding.

The flooding appeared to be the worst in a handful of sub-divisions. 

“Today was a day no one ever thought they’d see,” said Pfc. Adelisa Fuentes, 386th Engineer Battalion. “There was water rising up to your hips and the further the road went, the deeper the flood was.”

Texas Guardsmen equipped with swift-water vehicles and their partners, equipped with boats set out to help the many people in danger.

Swift water vehicles can safely move through approximately 30 inches of water. Texas Guardsmen took their trucks as far as they could before dismounting Task Force boats.

First responders used boats to go through entire neighborhoods, bringing all those in danger to safety.

“This is what we train for,” said Texas Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Patrick M. Hamilton, Dual Status Commander for Hurricane Harvey Recovery Efforts. “And we’re proud to stand beside our civilian partners, first responders and volunteers to serve the citizens of Texas.” 

It isn’t uncommon to find National Guardsmen working or training alongside emergency first responders – it’s a part of their mission. 

Texas Guardsmen train year-round with partner first responders like Texas Task Force One, so that when a disaster occurs in Texas, they are prepared.

“This is Texans helping Texans – neighbors helping neighbors,” Hamilton said. “While we don’t want to have to put our training to the test during a tragedy, our citizen-guardsmen remain prepared to help save lives and property, when called.” 


The team of Soldiers and first responders took on a new dynamic in the wake of Hurricane Harvey as local residents stopped to help. 

Those owning boats or jet skis, used them to assist in transporting victims to safety. Others brought water and helped transfer people and equipment onto the National Guard vehicles. 

“Watching others bring victims to safety into our LMTVs showed how much heart people really have and that they don’t just depend on us to do the work alone,” said Fuentes. “All help is worth a hand in a time of need.”

One man even cooked a platter of chicken, wading into water three feet deep in order to feed both Soldiers and volunteers – a much welcomed surprise as most appeared to work through lunch without stopping.

Dogs, cats and even a lucky stuffed iguana were passed from boats to Soldiers, followed by their owners and the residents of the neighborhoods suffering from severe flooding. 

Emotions were varied, some were in high spirits while others seemed overwhelmed by their new reality.

One woman had spent the previous day as an EMT rescuing people all over the city from flooding. 

“You never think you’re going to be the victim,” she said. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

After six hours of wading through deep waters, Soldiers and partner first responders, ensuring everyone who needed help was safe, began to pack up.

Despite the long hours and poor weather conditions, the Soldiers all appeared to be energized, focused and in good spirits.

“Nothing is more important to our Guardsmen than the chance to serve their local community.” Hamilton said. “Helping our neighbors when they need us most is the heart of The Guard, and why we choose to become Citizen Soldiers and Airmen.”

One Texas Guardsman on scene, felt the same way.

“I am so glad I was able to be there to help my fellow Texans get to safety from their flooded homes,” said Fuentes. “It’s heartbreaking, but everyone is safe.”

Houston, TX United States

08.28.2017

Story by Staff Sgt. Timothy Pruitt, Texas State Guard

HOUSTON – A team of Texas Guardsmen, swift-water rescue technicians and Harris County Sheriff deputies worked together as a hybrid rescue team to rescue and air-lift multiple people from severe flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, to safe locations, in northeast Houston, August, 28, 2017.

Soldiers from the Texas National Guard’s 272^nd Engineer Battalion and a swift-water rescue team from Texas Task Force 1 arrived in a severely flooded neighborhood after being dispatched to an area cut off by flood waters with approximately 50 victims that needed evacuating.  Upon arriving at the designated location, a small church, they found more than 80 people at the church and another 60 at the gas station next door. 

“When we first got the call the information we were given was that there was a request of 50 people that needed to be evacuated, when we arrived that number more than doubled,” said David Holly, Texas Task Force 1 swift-water rescue technician.

The pastor of the church said he had several people needing medical attention.

There were 18 patients, some on oxygen, some dialysis patients, others with deficits from past or chronic conditions and even some with mental handicaps, all needing medical attention.

With the severity of the medical needs of those patients, the Task Force 1 paramedics decided it would be safer to evacuate the patients by air, due to the rising water in the area.

The team setup a landing zone for the aerial pickup and radioed in for an air evacuation. While waiting for the helicopters the task force heard there were people trapped in the adjacent neighborhood. 

Using a Texas National Guard high-profile vehicle, they launched their zodiac boats and searched the neighborhood for victims.

“I thought it was pretty cool that we are able to provide transportation to the task force,” said Texas National Guard Sgt. Janna Bergeron, 272^nd Engineer Battalion.  “We give them the ability to be able to perform these types of missions.”

The team rescued 30 people from that neighborhood, bringing the total number of victims to 170 needing evacuation.

Within an hour, three U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk helicopters from the Dusty Dogs Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron, arrived and took turns landing to pick up and evacuated the flood victims with special medical needs.

During this process, the flood waters continued to rise, making vehicle extraction more dangerous.

To ensure the safety of each flood victim, the joint team continued to evacuate all of their victims by air.

 While the Task Force team prepared the victims for evacuation, Texas Guardsmen helped secure the area for the arriving helicopters.

First responders say that this type of joint-teamwork is what is helping save lives.

“It is hard being in a situation knowing we could help everyone but not knowing if we would have time to get them all due to the rising flood waters,” Texas National Guard 2^nd Lt. Joseph Fiasco, 272^nd Engineer Battalion. “It was amazing that we had the aerial support to come in and get the victims.”

These types of missions show the effectiveness of teamwork to be able to rescue high numbers of people in need. 

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, more than 12,000 Texas Guardsmen joined first responders from partner local, state and federal agencies, as well as, other military components, to rescue thousands of Texans in need.

TX, UNITED STATES

07.20.2017

Story by Capt. Maria Mengrone

176th Engineer Brigade (TXARNG)

CAMP SWIFT, Texas – Newly assigned lieutenants and staff of the 386th Engineer Battalion, 176th Engineer Brigade received critical training in the military decision making process during annual training, 9-14 July, 2017, Camp Swift, Texas. 

The military decision making process (MDMP) is an Army seven-step method used to guide decision-making on and off the battlefield. 

“Since we have so many new lieutenants added to the staff it seemed like a fantastic training opportunity,” said Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Tony Miles of the 386th Engineer Battalion and resident of Lincoln, Neb. “I want to introduce them to the mindset and the mechanism that they’re going to utilize throughout their careers.”

The group of approximately 12 staff officers worked in their respective sections with close oversight from experienced trainers of the Army National Guard’s Mission Command Training Support Program (MCTSP) based in Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.

“We make sure they understand not only the "how" of mission command and the military decision making process but the "why" of each step, input and output,” said Doctrinal Training Team Leader John C. White resident of Austin, Texas. 

The six-day training consists of hypothetical scenarios designed to challenge and promote communication across staff sections. 

“It’s a complex process that requires us to work with each other regardless of section; you have to work with others to get help,” said 1st Lt. Cory Ferguson, administrative officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 386th Engineer Battalion, 176th Engineer Brigade resident of Corpus Christi, Texas.

The staff exercise training is structured to enable commanders to train their staff to perform essential battle command planning, coordination, integration, synchronization, and control function.

“The more they see and apply MDMP the better officers they’re going to be,” said Miles.

The MDMP training is designed to meet the needs of the units requesting the training. 

“Even many captain’s that haven't served on a staff long may not be familiar or proficient in the operations process,” said White. “We simply tailor our instruction to the staff's experience level. We may have to take some steps slower, explain more or reduce the complexity of the mission or problem they are facing.”

The end goal is to ensure new lieutenants and staff can convert vast amounts of data into meaningful information allowing commanders to make well-informed decisions. 

“I’m excited to be able to get feedback during this training so as a staff we can give a better presentation and product to the commander,” said Ferguson.

Although this training was primarily geared toward new lieutenants of the 386th Engineer Battalion the MDMP training offered through MCTSP is open and available to other units.

“It’s a really good program for units to use and improve their staffs. It’s a one stop shop where we bring all the products and training material that’s designed with the commander's intent for training in mind. It doesn't cost the unit any money and they just need to commit the right personnel and time to make it effective,” said White.

07.18.2017

Story by: Capt. Martha Nigrelle

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas - Operation Secure Texas, a once State Active Duty operational mission for the Texas Guard, will transition to a federally funded Title 32 training mission, late July 2017. 

The transition will allow service members to conduct hands-on training and improve unit readiness, while still providing partner agencies their unique capabilities along the Texas-Mexico border.

On July 17, 2017, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Texas will receive funding from the federal government in support of Operation Secure Texas and transition the Texas Guardsmen supporting this operation to a federal status.

“The National Guard Bureau has allocated $19 million, appropriated by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense for FY17, for the four border states, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, to plan, coordinate, manage and conduct additional training missions along the border to increase readiness,” said Lt. Col. Travis Walters, Texas Military Department State Public Affairs Officer. “The benefit of this transition is our ability to conduct realistic, hands-on training on many of our mission essential tasks, work alongside our partner agencies and provide an incidental benefit to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s efforts to prevent pervasive criminal elements from crossing into the U.S.”

The transition will not impact the mission of the Texas National Guard or its role in protecting and serving the citizens of Texas, said Walters. But it may improve their readiness.

The transition to a training mission will enable service members to train on more than 30 required tasks in a realistic environment, while also working in a joint environment.

“Our mission in supporting both the state and nation, whenever we are called, almost always puts us in a joint environment, working alongside partner local, state and federal agencies or partner militaries,” said Walters. “Successful synchronization of operations with partner agencies and communication across a joint network are absolutely essential skills for our Guardsmen to have whether we are responding to a hurricane here in Texas or supporting combat operations overseas.”

From the outside, the Texas Military Department’s role in supporting Operation Secure Texas really won’t change.

They will still serve under the command and control of the Governor and they will still work alongside and in support of DPS.

The unique, dual mission of the National Guard allows Guardsmen to act as a bridge between our civilian agencies and the Department of Defense.

Federal law provides the Governor with the ability to place a Soldier in a full-time duty status under the command and control of the state but be directly funded with federal dollars.

For example, U.S. Code Title 32 states that the Secretary of Defense may provide funds to a Governor to employ National Guard units or members to conduct homeland defense activities that the Secretary determines necessary and appropriate for participation by the National Guard.

When it comes to support of Operation Secure Texas, service members will conduct diverse joint training operations ranging from command post operations, to convoy operations and communicating in a joint environment.

“Our mission in the Texas National Guard is to provide the Governor and the President with ready forces in support of state and federal authorities at home and abroad and this transition to a training mission, will only increase our ability to do so,” said Walters. “We are committed to serving our state and nation whenever we are called.”

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES

07.18.2017

Story by Sgt. Michael Giles

36th Infantry Division (TXARNG)

The 36th Infantry Division celebrates its 100th anniversary July 18, 2017 and soldiers from the division honored their 100-year legacy of service during their July drill, with sweat, reverence and festivities.

The celebration began as several hundred soldiers marched along Congress Avenue from across Lady Bird Lake and up to the Texas State Capitol. When they arrived, they stood in formation behind unit colors, as Maj. Gen. S. Lee Henry, the division commander, and division Command Sgt. Maj. Mark J. Horn, ceremoniously placed a wreath at the base of the granite T-patch monument on the west side of the Capitol.

As the formation of soldiers solemnly saluted the monument, Henry spoke to them about the symbolism of the wreath and the granite.

“The Texas sunset red granite monument honors the soldiers of the 36th Infantry Division, both past and present,” Henry said. “The laying of the wreath today honors those 36th Infantry Division soldiers who have gone before us, and the sacrifices that both they and their families made for our freedom and security.”

As soldiers listened silently, Henry related the symbolism to the 36th’s history of answering the call to serve. He referred to the division’s service in war abroad, in response to disasters at home, and in support of domestic security.

“It represents those who answered the call in July of 1917, as the nation ramped up for war, to form a new division made of soldiers from both Texas and Oklahoma,” Henry said. “It represents those who answered the call when nature wreaks havoc in the form of floods, fire or tornados. It represents those who are currently deployed overseas, and those who stand watch on our southern border.”

Spc. Josh Strickland, an all-source intelligence analyst with the 36th Infantry Division, said participating in this celebration strengthens his esprit de corps and reminds him of his own military heritage.

“It makes you proud to be part of a unit with such a great legacy,” Strickland said. “Both of my grandfathers served in World War II. Participating in this celebration adds meaning to my time in the Guard.”

The 100-year history of the 36th Infantry Division began July 18, 1917. It was formed to fight in the first world war, and decades later it was the first U.S. division to land on the European continent to fight in World War II. Since then, the division has supported the War on Terror with deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and several other countries around the world. At home, the 36th sent soldiers to responded to Hurricane Katrina and the Bastrop, Texas wildfires, and has played key roles both in border security and efforts to reduce drug trafficking.

During his speech, Henry also mentioned World War II veteran Sgt. Jim Niederer, living evidence of the 36th Infantry Division’s legacy. Niederer, who received six Bronze Star Medals for his service in Europe, expressed a belief that the 36th always has been, and always will be, a unit to be proud of.

“It’s a good outfit, and I’m sure it will get better,” Niederer said. “I’m just proud to have been one of the members of the 36th.”

During his more than two years in Europe, he explained, he landed in four invasions: in Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and in Southern France. 

“All those things I still remember,” Niederer said. “So many things I just can’t forget. I was fortunate to be able to serve my country. Thank God I made it.”

Those soldiers wounded in action or killed in action were also appreciated during Henry’s speech about the granite T-patch memorial.

“It recognizes the sacrifice made by those who are wounded and come back different people, both physically and mentally,” Henry said. “It memorializes and honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while wearing the famous T-patch on their shoulders.”

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES

07.15.2017

Story by Spc. Christina Clardy

36th Infantry Division (TXARNG)

On the morning of July 15th, Texas' own 36th Infantry Division held a change of command ceremony on the Texas State Capitol steps as Maj. Gen. Lester Simpson, officially relinquished command to the new commander, Maj. Gen. S. Lee Henry. 

The ceremony has traditional significance as the division’s flag, or "colors," is passed from the outgoing commander, to their senior commander, who then passes the colors to the incoming commander. 

"This change of command is a great time for us," said Texas Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols. "It allows the outgoing commander to leave their mark on the formation and the incoming commander to take that mark, improve it and make it even greater.

"I think the greatest compliment someone can get is, 'well-done soldier,'" said Nichols. "So, to you Lester [Simpson], well done Soldier." Thirteen rounds of cannon fire, which echoed across downtown, were fired in honor of the outgoing commander and his service to the nation and state.

Simpson, who received a commission as an officer in the Army National Guard in 1980 from the University of Texas at Arlington, retired after 37 years of service in a ceremony following the change of command. A native of Rowlett, Texas, he recently retired from the United Parcel Service (UPS) of North America after 33 years of dedicated service. He and his wife Antoinette have four children: Lester Jr., Solomon, Nathan, and Morgan.

Henry recently returned from Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he had commanded the Train, Advise, and Assist Command -- South (NATO) and represented the first time a National Guard Division Headquarters had commanded a Regional Command in Afghanistan.

"I am truly honored to command the 'Fighting 36th' Infantry Division who will celebrate it's 100th anniversary on Tuesday [July 18th]," said Henry. "Now more than ever, the Army is turning to the National Guard… [and] we will answer the call whether it comes from the governor or the president."

Maj. Gen. Henry, who was recently promoted to that rank, received his commission in 1983 as the Distinguished Military Graduate from the Texas A&M University in College Station, where he has Master degrees in Business Administration and Strategic Studies. As a civilian, he is employed by SAP, Inc. He currently lives in Austin with his wife Tricia, and together, they have three children and one grandchild.

"To the Soldiers of the 36th Infantry Division, our foundation will be individual and collective readiness," said Henry. "The 36th is recognized by both the National Guard and Active Duty Army for its excellence and consistently setting the standard for other divisions to follow."

The 36th Inf. Div. of the Texas Army National Guard, which is headquartered at Camp Mabry in Austin, is made up of five brigades and more than 14,000 soldiers. Since Sept. 11, 2001, the division has trained and mobilized a total of 30,000 soldiers in support of combat operations, natural disaster relief, and border security.

TX, UNITED STATES

06.28.2017

By Staff Sgt. Bethany Anderson

100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

LAKE CANYON, Texas – Thirty six Texas Guardsmen from the Special Operations Detachment-Africa, dropped from a helicopter hovering above Lake Canyon Saturday, June, 24th 2017, as zodiac boats circled, waiting to recover the paratroopers and their chutes. 

Jumping from an aircraft into a lake 1500 feet below may seem extreme to some, but for the soldiers of SOD-A, it was just another day on the job – a job that requires extreme training and an extreme commitment.

Those elite soldiers, whom made the jump are part of Special Operations Command-Africa, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany and are trained to rapidly establish, execute, and support all functions of a Special Operations Task Force anywhere in the world. But when the high-temp unit isn’t deployed, they are training in Texas said Texas Army National Guard Col. Timothy Ochsner, the detachment’s commander.

“Parachute operations are a quarterly requirement for soldiers to maintain their airborne proficiency,” said Ochsner, who has been with the unit since its inception in 2012. “Planning this training event allows the unit to exercise logistical planning, execution, as well as command and control. It ensures that SOD-A is always ready to conduct any real-world mission it is called upon to execute.” 

Sgt. 1st Class Tim Kennedy, SOD-A assistant operations noncommissioned officer was the first soldier to jump out of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during SOD-A’s parachute operations on Joint Base San Antonio Recreation Park Saturday morning. After the jump, Kennedy said a deep-rooted belief in selfless service and mission accomplishment is what fuels the Texas Army National Guard soldiers in SOD-A. 

“This is the only thing that’s actually important – selfless service,” said Kennedy. “Finding an idea that’s more important than you, and being there for the man on your left and right is what this unit is all about.” 

Many of the unit’s soldiers have more than 15 years of military service and some have as many as 30. With four deployments in eight months, and many more on the horizon, the soldiers of SOD-A make innumerable sacrifices to ensure that the people and the country they love are protected. 

Texas Guardsmen in the Special Operations Detachment appreciate and value the importance of the unit’s mission to promote regional stability within Africa and combat terrorism globally, but say what really adds meaning to their profession is the common goal of protecting their families, their United States, and each other. 

“Foreign internal defense missions are very relevant to our country. We’re training these armies in command and control,” said Texas Army National Guard Lt. Col. David Green, SOD-A Command Judge Advocate. 

“Terrorism is a global threat and if Africa can’t fight that threat, it affects the U.S.”

The jump into Canyon Lake is just another example the detachments level of readiness, something Kennedy says takes a special kind of soldier.

“We do the mission that no one else could,” said Kennedy. “We have the ability to adapt with any culture and any race in any country and have mission success.” 

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

06.24.2017

Story by Spc. Christina Clardy 

36th Infantry Division (TXARNG)  

FORT HOOD, TEXAS - Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery Regiment (HIMARS), attached to the 71st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade, 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard hosted a Family Day on Saturday, June 25, during their two-week annual training at Fort Hood, Texas.

Families, friends, and civilian co-workers and employers were invited to Fort Hood to see their soldier in action and witness a demonstration of the training they are currently undergoing.

The 4-133rd FAR is specifically designated a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System unit and is spending it's two weeks of annual training running operations, fire missions, and completing their annual proficiency certifications. 

"For the past week our crews have been running 24-hour operations and each crew has completed dozens of day and night fire missions," said 2nd Lt. Ross Gilfillan, 2nd Platoon Leader for Battery A, 4-133rd FAR (HIMARS). "There is a lot of precision required for a successful crew, and these crews are truly proficient."

On Saturday, the families and visitors were bussed to the range over-watch tower where they could safely watch the HIMARS demonstration. The battalion set up static displays of the launchers, rocket tubes and the loading systems for the visitors to see, touch and take pictures in.

"Family day gives the soldiers a chance to show their families, friends and employers what they do when they leave home and come to their military jobs here in the National Guard," said Gilfillan. "They can show them how hard they are working, the jobs they are learning and the skills they are perfecting. It also gives the families an opportunity to see the equipment up close and the thrill of seeing the rockets shoot off."

The 4-133rd FAR (HIMARS) gathered small groups of children to give to the command “fire” into the radio to signal the soldiers to launch a rocket. The demonstration was met with cheers and “ooos” from the crowd as they watched the rockets launch in the air leaving plumes of white smoke and a thunderous concussion.

"This is my first time on a HIMARS crew and I've got to tell you -- it's a total blast!" said Private James Moore, a HIMARS crew driver from 2nd Platoon, Btry. A. "My family came out here for Family Day and I hope they think all of this is as cool as I do."

The HIMARS is a light multiple rocket launcher mounted on a medium-sized tactical truck. Each launcher is run by a crew of three personnel and can fire either six 227mm M270 rockets or one MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System surface-to-surface missile. It has a range of approximately 100 miles and a 360 degree firing radius. This HIMARS is an improved upgrade from the launcher pod system originally mounted to Bradley tank frames. This upgrade makes the truck, frame and launcher pod much lighter, which allows the system to be more easily loaded and deployed off of a plane than its tank-track predecessor.

Building international friendships

Commentary by: 1st Lt Allegra Boutch

Dated: June 19, 2017

PABRADE, Lithuania — What started as a mission to provide Public Affairs support to an international exercise turned into a journey building friendships with partner militaries and an experience that would last a lifetime.

We left Texas on June 4, 2017; eight Texas Army National Guard soldiers from the 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, stationed in Austin, Texas and traveled to the Baltics to support a training exercise that spanned through four countries and brought together 11,000 soldiers from 20 nations.

Our mission? To provide Public Affairs support to the exercise in Pabrade and Vilnuis, Lithuania, June 5-19, 2017.

Saber Strike 17, an exercise designed to promote regional stability and security while strengthening partner capabilities and fostering trust, is the sixth iteration of the exercise, but the first, in the series, that Texas Guardsmen have provided public affairs support for.

The exercise series facilitates cooperation between the U.S., Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and other Allied and partnered nations to improve joint operational capacity in a variety of capabilities.

While on the ground, we provided photo, video and print journalism coverage for training and field operations.

“I think the stories we put out are key to capturing what our multinational partnerships are all about,” said Sgt. Mark Otte, one of our newest soldiers to the unit. “We are sharing soldier stories for families back home and providing transparency. Public support is key, and I think our role will ultimately have a hand in the strength of next year’s exercise.”

Working in the multi-national environment gave us an opportunity to both work alongside and talk to leaders from partner nations about our joint mission.

“NATO’s mission is not a standalone mission,” said Col. Jakob Larsen, commander of the Lithuanian NATO Force Integration Units. “We are not only working hand-in-hand with the Americans for Saber Strike but also with the host nation [Lithuania]. I think it is important that you are transparent and predictable so that your neighbors will not be concerned about what you do.”

During the 13 days spent in the Baltic state, our team published seven print stories, eight videos and over 150 photos shared by the Armed Forces Network, the National Guard Bureau and other publishing agencies.

The challenge of coming to an exercise where we’re covering operations for 20 participating nations across four different countries was absolutely logistical.

The benefit of bringing an MPAD to Saber Strike, however, wasn’t just that we are able to accomplish our mission with limited resources and information, but as we build our network, we were able to contribute to the multinational partnerships with every interaction and every interview we had.

While in the region we also partnered with Lithuanian and Croatian public affairs officers to collaborate, share information and learn what each of us could do to improve our own public affairs practices.

My hope is through the images we took our soldiers will never forget the friendships built here, and the world will see the strength of our convictions.

PABRADE, LITHUANIA

06.14.2017

Story by 1st Lt. Allegra Boutch

100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

PABRADE, Lithuania—U.S. Army Soldiers from the Texas, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota National Guard celebrated the U.S. Army birthday, June 14, 2017, during Exercise Iron Wolf 17 in Pabrade, Lithuania. The celebration hosted by the 2-136 Combined Arms Battalion, and led by Lt. Col. Jason Benson, 2-136 CAB commander, was attended by soldiers from Croatian, Norwegian, Lithuanian and other allied forces. 

The celebration illustrated the bonds formed during participation in the multinational exercise, designed to enhance the U.S. force’s professional relationships and improve coordination with NATO Allies and partnered militaries during times of crisis. The exercise falls under the U.S. Army Europe-led theater exercise, Saber Strike 17, which involves 20 countries and over 11,000 soldiers. 

During the celebration, Benson thanked NATO Allies and was honored with a traditional Lithuanian cake, presented by Col. Arturas Radvilas, commander of the Motorised Infantry Brigade Žemaitija. 

“Thank you NATO Allies whom we consider dear friends for being here tonight,” Benson said. “Traditionally—regardless of location—Soldiers pause to observe our birthday by sharing a cake and usually, a holiday meal.”

Following U.S. Army tradition, the first piece of cake was cut by the oldest Soldier in the command, signifying the honor and respect accorded to experience and seniority. The oldest Soldier at the celebration was SSG Klee Smith, who served the first piece of cake to the youngest Soldier, PFC George Ongoro. 

To one attendee, the celebration symbolized the importance of these long term partnerships standing shoulder to shoulder as they look forward to the future. 

“It’s nice seeing everyone come out,” said SSG John Michael with the Higher Headquarters Command 134 Brigade Support Battalion. “Having the other forces here is key to our multinational partnership.”

These partnerships unambiguously demonstrate the NATO Allies and partnered nations’ determination and ability to act as one in response to any potential and actual threats in the Baltic States. The time soldiers took to celebrate that partnership during the 242nd U.S. Army birthday, only strengthened the relationships which could play a critical role in the nations’ future battles.