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By Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor
3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
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Pvt. Windsor Brooks, infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, pulls security during a rehearsal for a combined arms live-fire exercise during Getica Saber 17 at the Cincu Joint National Training Center, Romania, July 11, 2017. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor)
CINCU, Romania — Soldiers of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, teamed up with counterparts from six nations July 8-15, 2017, during a fire support coordination exercise and combined arms live-fire exercises.
The multinational exercises were held at the Cincu Joint National Training Center in Romania as part of Getica Saber 17, a U.S.-led effort with more than 4,000 soldiers. The exercise ran concurrently with Saber Guardian 17, a U.S. Army Europe-led, multinational exercise that spans across Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania with over 25,000 service members from 22 allied and partner nations.
“This has been a great opportunity to work with our NATO allies,” said Staff Sgt. David Dowsett, section chief, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd ABCT. “Training as a battalion in one location is rare for me because we have been spread out throughout Europe for various missions in support of Atlantic Resolve.”
Since February, M109A6 Paladin batteries with 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., had been disbursed in Germany, Poland and Romania as they provided a persistent presence as a deterrent to aggression under Operation Atlantic Resolve.
But Getica Saber 17 reunited the Paladin crews as they integrated fires with M777 howitzers from 1st Cavalry Division Artillery, and Romanian and U.S. rocket launchers.
“We have been able to see the different countries’ firepower as well as show them ours,” said Dowsett. “It’s awesome to be on the battlefield with our maneuver brothers. I’m glad that we are able to train together and synchronize our capabilities.”
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Pvt. Destani Covington, field artillery automated tactical data systems specialist, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, loads a 155 mm artillery round into the breaching chamber of an M109A6 Paladin at the Cincu Joint National Training Center, Romania, July 11, 2017. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor)
The artillery rained indirect fire down on targets from 2 miles away during a massive combined arms live-fire exhibition July 15 before Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James C. McConville, U.S. Army Europe Commanding General Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges and other dignitaries. The demonstration featured armor, mechanized infantry and aviation assets from the U.S., Romania, Armenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Ukraine.
Heading the charge on the “front lines” of the defensive scenario was 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div., which integrated the six nations’ fighting forces with its own M1A2 Abrams tanks and M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles during the 45-minute exhibition showing how a multinational task force can defend in unison against a near-peer adversary.
“We have done a lot of interoperability training with our allies,” said Capt. Curtis Ballard, operations officer, 1st Bn., 66th Armor Reg. “We learned a lot of lessons from Combined Resolve VIII at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, right before coming to Romania. With every country you work with, it brings a different set of capabilities, unique skills and limitations based on the nature of the fight.
“The first week at Getica Saber we spent time learning about our partners and figuring out how best to leverage their strength and fine tune communication,” said Ballard.
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An infantryman with 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, lays down suppressing fire during a multinational combined arms live-fire exercise at the conclusion of Getica Saber 17 at Cincu Joint National Training Center, Romania, July 15, 2017. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Seth Hawley)
Soldiers with 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., ensured indirect fires went back to the basics during the combined arms live-fire exercise and the preceding fire support coordination exercise.
“The Romanians do not have the digital system (Paladin digital fire control system) that we use,” said Dowsett. “They have something similar to ours, like the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System. We train our Soldiers to use that system in case our digital capabilities are down.”
During Getica Saber, artillerymen were able to not only certify their skills but enhance the ability to work across different platforms.
Pvt. Destani Covington, field artillery automated tactical data systems specialist, Battery B, 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., earned the position as top cannoneer in her section.
“This military occupation was recently opened to females and there are a few of us out here,” said Covington, also a Paladin driver. “I appreciate the opportunity to earn my place as the No. 1 cannoneer and to apply my skills for Getica Saber. This has been an awesome experience.”
Covington demonstrated how she can load a 155 mm artillery round into the breaching chamber of a Paladin.
“It’s pretty heavy, but I can do it,” she said.
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M109A6 Paladin crews with 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, fire rounds during a fire support coordination exercise as part of Getica Saber 17 at the Cincu Joint National Training Center, Romania, July 11, 2017. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor)