CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait — Col. Mubarak A. A. al-Zubi, left, commander, Kuwaiti Land Forces 35th Armored Brigade, and Col. Michael J. Simmering, center, commander, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, meet for the first time during a key leader engagement at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, March 11, 2019. The purpose of the meeting was to make introductions to continue to strengthen the partnership between the Kuwaiti Land Forces and U.S. military. (Photo by Sgt. Liane Hatch)
By Sgt. Liane Hatch
3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait — As the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, prepared to take authority in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, replacing the Mississippi National Guard’s 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, leaders from both units hosted a series of meetings with key leaders from the partnering Kuwait Land Force’s 35th Armored Brigade in March.
Each battalion in 3rd ABCT, as well as the brigade leadership, held brief continuing partnership meetings with their Kuwaiti counterparts in order to establish new relationships between leaders and strengthen the working relationship between units. These key leader engagements enabled partnering commanders to review common goals, expectations and understanding regarding training opportunities and support capabilities.
Until about six years ago, Kuwaiti and U.S. forces operated separately in the country with little to no partnership or communication, said Kuwait Land Force Col. Mubarak A. A. al-Zubi, Kuwait army. Since then, efforts between the allied commanders have led to ongoing partnerships.
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait — Lt. Col. John Burrescia, left, commander, 588th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, meets with Col. Mohammad J. Al Sadrah and Col. Yousif M. Al Obaidan, Kuwaiti leaders from the 15th Combat Engineer Battalion at Kuwait Naval Base March 13, 2019. Kuwaiti and U.S. forces engage in ongoing partnerships with like units for their mutual benefit. (Photo by Maj. Jason Koontz)
One recent success from the partnership took place in 2018 when Kuwait Land Forces sent 35th Armored Brigade Soldiers to Fort Benning, Georgia, to participate in the Sullivan Cup, an international tank crew competition. The next Sullivan Cup will take place in 2020, and maintaining Kuwaiti participation is one priority the commanders intend to maintain.
“I think what you’ll find is that within this unit, you are a priority, and that is the bottom line,” said Col. Michael J. Simmering, commander, 3rd ABCT, in a meeting with Mubarak. “I think we have ways we can help each other out. There are opportunities out there, it’s just up to us to sit down in the right setting to get to know each other and figure out what exactly those needs are.”