FORT HUNTER-LIGGETT, Calif. - Soldiers of the British Army Reserve sat down to a hot lunch with Brig. Gen. Chris R. Gentry, 91st Training Division commanding officer, while visiting Fort Hunter-Liggett through the Military Reserve Exchange Program, July 25, 2015.
At Rosa's, a small restaurant on base, Gentry met with a small group of British Soldiers to exchange pleasantries and discuss experiences and upcoming days under the exchange program, which puts foreign troops on American soil to train as U.S. troops do and vise versa.
The program is designed to create cohesiveness and continuity in joint-nation training and readiness, but the troops-in-exchange look at it as an opportunity to share stories and lessons learned.
"It's going to be good to meet people who have been to places like Iraq," said Cpl. Nigel D. Gribben, a unit administration specialist with the 204th Field Hospital in Belfast, Ireland, "And put it into real life. Because you always learn from each other."
Gribben is a civilian police officer in Belfast and will be lending his expertise to U.S. Military Police Soldiers.
"Ideas that we might have," he added, "You might think... we could adapt that in a similar way and vise versa. As long as it's helping people, that's the main thing. That's what we're here to do."
I think it's absolutely essential that we keep the lines of communication open between our allies, our partners, and our friends," said Gentry.
According to the U.S. Army Reserve Command website, the primary purpose of the Department of Defense Reserve Officers Foreign Exchange Program and Military Reserve Exchange Program is to provide National Guard and Reserve junior officers and noncommissioned officers training associated with mobilization duties while enhancing their ability to work and communicate with the military individuals of the host nation.
"We may be separated by distance and, in some cases by language," added Gentry, "But we're all trying to do the same thing."
Date Taken: | 07.25.2015 |
Date Posted: | 07.25.2015 23:23 |
Story ID: | 171118 |
Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CALIFORNIA, US |
Web Views: | 391 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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