Photo By Sgt. Cesar Salazar Jr. | U.S. Army Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade...... read more read more
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BEMOWO PISKIE, Poland — U.S. Army Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division and fellow troops from NATO allied nations partook in the grueling Norwegian Foot March held at Bemowo Piskie Training Area Oct. 27.
Known as the “Panther” battalion, Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (2-69 AR) joined their Allies and partners comprising NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Poland (eFP Poland) for the 30-kilometer road march.
More than 150 U.S., British, Romanian, Croatian, and Polish troops stepped up to the challenge of the Norwegian Foot March, hosted by the 2-69 AR. The foot march is designed to build physical endurance and mental toughness through the completion of the 18.6 miles road march carrying a 24-pound rucksack. Soldiers who meet or exceed the time standard are awarded a badge for their accomplishment.
“Any time you can get Soldiers out together in a physical event is a good opportunity,” Lt. Col. Timothy Decker, commander of 2-69 AR, said. “I loved seeing all the Soldiers out there competing, trying to meet a time standard, and competing for that badge.” Leading by example, Decker was one of the first troops to cross the finish line, alongside a Polish soldier. Decker passed many Soldiers in his quest to be the top finisher.
“I saw a lot of determination,” he said. “It didn’t matter the nation. Everybody was out there to compete to win… I got a ton of energy from giving high-fives and encouraging all the Soldiers that were out there that showed up to give their best today.”
Spc. Gianna Miranda, a signal support system specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-69 AR, said she was proud of herself for completing the Norwegian Foot March well above the standards.
“My favorite part of this foot march was the camaraderie that I was able to build through this, because every single time I thought I was going to give up, my peers were there to pick me back up,” Miranda said.
Miranda said she enjoys long-distance running, and she prepared for the foot march by pushing herself during physical-training and ruck marches.
“It was very humbling just to see all of the other countries being able to participate in that together and completing it together,” Miranda said. “It was truly like we were stronger together.”
This iteration of the foot march marked the second time Staff Sgt. Sean Cuba, an infantry squad leader with Charlie Company, 2-69 AR, completed the Norwegian Foot March, earning him his silver badge.
“To be honest, it’s just living the values of infantrymen, leading the way, and setting the example for the guys,” Cuba said. “A lot of it is just pride. A lot of pride in what we do and pride in our job. As infantrymen, this is our bread and butter. This is what we do.”
The Norwegian Foot March held at Bemowo Piskie Training area was the first time Cuba has done it in Europe side-by-side with NATO partners.
“I’ve never really worked alongside NATO allies, but they were all very friendly, and they were all very encouraging,” Cuba continued. “I liked it and enjoyed it a lot.”
Events like the Norwegian Foot March help troops from allied nations build relations with each other by, “getting to know your teammates,” Decker added.
“I think [the eFP Poland troops] did great,” Decker said. “The fact that they showed up — this was not a mandatory event, it was completely voluntary to be here — so people took time out of their day to come and compete. I’m super proud of them for that.”
The Norwegian Foot March is just one of many multinational events that eFP Poland and Task Force Marne Soldiers will participate in while deployed to Europe. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Poland and the Baltic States is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2023 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 456661 |
| Location: | BEMOWO PISKIE, PL |
| Web Views: | 254 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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