Photo By Maj. Marvin Baker | U.S. Army Reserve and U.S Army Europe Soldiers compete against Polish Army Soldiers in...... read more read more
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The 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command out of Marysville, Washington, participated in the training exercise Anakonda 2016 from May 9 to June 17, throughout Poland.
Units assigned to the 364th were stationed in Warsaw and 15 other sites across the country. This was the first time a reserve contingency mobilized and sustained military operations in Poland, according to Timothy Hale, a public affairs officer for U.S. Army Reserve Command. The perks of enhanced readiness and training will pay dividends with American servicemen and women for a long time to come, not to mention new friendships earned.
The 364th Support Operations (SPO) non-commissioned officer in charge, Sgt. Maj. David Hanlon, a 38-year military veteran, noted “the Polish are very receptive. They are appreciative to us for supporting them.”
An exercise of this size, approximately 12,000 U.S. troops, 15 sites, more than 20 nations, and several active duty components requires everyone to work together and mobilize quickly. This requires setting up various sites simultaneously.
From a class one supply point operated by the 483rd Quartermaster Company to an ammunition and fuel supply point, both in the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, logistics and engineering came into play; especially since they are all subordinate units of the 364th ESC.
The 364th ESC’s job, in this case, does not just focus on logistics; it also concentrates on command and control of the battlefield. It’s a critical element of any military operation to know who, what, and how much goes on within your battle space and the SPO is an essential element of that.
Training plays an important role in planning and executing military operations but oddly enough, unplanned events can provide the best mentoring for Soldiers to grow and develop. That’s exactly what happened during weapons qualifications between the Polish and U.S. troops.
Members of the 364th qualified on June 2 at the Warsaw First Armored Brigade Tadeusz Kosciuszko Base, where they shot with the Poles during the live fire.
During range practice, a friendly rivalry sprang up between the Soldiers from both countries to see who had the best marksmen. A Polish Army Pvt. Jednostka Wozskowa with the NR R30 Company in the First Armored Brigade was victorious shooting 39 out of a possible 40 using an M-16 rather than his customary weapon, an AK-47. He may not typically fire an M-16, but he spends a lot of time at the range honing his skills, explained Wozskowa.
The units under the 364th were asked to “show their readiness and ability to setup, perform in an austere environment,” which is exactly what they did admirably according to Hanlon.
These friendly events and the exercise itself served both the U.S. and the Polish people well in developing partnerships that can last a lifetime. In addition, this unique experience has also allowed the Army Reserves a chance to implement, train, and sustain an exercise at a level usually only associated with active duty components.
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Lloyd Shellenberger
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2016 16:37 |
| Story ID: | 201609 |
| Location: | WARSZAWA, PL |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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