Meet Spc. Paul Tapiz, a cavalry scout with the 120th Infantry Battalion, 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina National Guard in Wilmington, North Carolina. Tapiz poses for a portrait at Libava, Czechia in support of Immediate Response 24, May 10, 2024.
Tapiz joined the Army in 2019 and is part of a legacy of service to the country. His grandfather served honorably in World War II.
“It’s good to interact with different countries and come together and train. We can talk about our similarities and differences about our gear and weapons systems. There was a language barrier at first but working together allowed us to adapt and train together.”
DEFENDER is a Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness, and is a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from 28 March to 31 May. DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Reed)
| Date Taken: | 05.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2024 18:05 |
| Photo ID: | 8398893 |
| VIRIN: | 240510-A-OO122-6622 |
| Resolution: | 6720x4480 |
| Size: | 1.76 MB |
| Location: | LIBAVA, CZ |
| Web Views: | 399 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Know Your Defender: Spc. Paul Tapiz, by SSG Brian Reed, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
