On May 18 Secretary of the U.S. Army John McHugh paid a work visit to the tactical field training event Exercise Black Arrow 2014.
The goal of the visit was to discuss readiness of the combat team of the 173rd Airborne Brigade of the U.S. Army in Europe (USAREUR) for completing joint tasks with units of the Lithuanian Land Force, and perspectives of further cooperation in the area of combat training.
At a meeting with Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Major General Almantas Leika and commander of the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade Colonel Michael L. Foster Mr John M. McHugh discussed integration of the U.S. military into the combat training of the Lithuanian Land Force, mutual objectives and tasks, surveyed ongoing and oncoming military exercises in Lithuania and abroad which the U.S. company currently deployed in Lithuania will join, and other matters.
Commander of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade (MIB) Iron Wolf MPB Colonel presented to the U.S. delegation the brigade, its structure and tasks, projects of international Military cooperation, contributions to multinational operations and exercises, and the currently implemented combat training cycle.
The guests from the United States were also briefed on the tactical field training event ongoing at the Gaižiūnų Training Range, Exercise Black Arrow 2014, where Lithuanian and U.S. military are training side by side, exercise objectives, tasks and cooperation.
At a meeting with U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers Secretary of the U.S. Army talked with them about the impressions of bilateral cooperation and results achieved.
Currently the soldiers of USAREUR's 173rd Airborne Brigade are accommodated at the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vaidotas Mechanised Infantry Battalion of the MIB Iron Wolf in Rukla. At the moment Lithuanian and U.S. military are involved in an intense combat training at Exercise Black Arrow 2014 of the MIB Iron Wolf and preparations for further joint training and exercises are carried out according to the combat training plan of the Lithuanian Land Force in parallel with that.
POC - Assistant to the Commander of the MIB Iron Wolf Captain Ainaras Jonaitis, mobile phone 00370 614 35 693; email: ainaras.jonaitis@mil.lt
Photo credits: SFC Eugenijus Žygaitis.
