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TAPA, Estonia - We all remember show-and-tell time in
kindergarten. That time of the school year when we're allowed to
bring one of our favorite toys to school, sit in a semi-circle on
the carpeted area at the back of the classroom, and eagerly await
our turn to show off the plastic keepsake to all of classmates and
explain exactly what it means to us.
It probably wasn't
evident to our 6-year-old selves, but show-and-tell time was about
more than just bragging about who had the newest and coolest toys,
it was about coming together and learning about a group of people
who we had little-to-no knowledge, sharing common interests, and
laying the foundation for a lifelong friendship.
Although
they aren't in kindergarten anymore, Soldiers from Company B, 2nd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, used the show-and-tell
technique to come together and bond with their Estonian counterparts
as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, Friday, Nov. 7, 2014.
But instead of action figures, Etch-a-Sketch's, or Tamagotchi's, the
soldiers of B Co. brought U.S. military equipment, weapons, and
armored vehicles.
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Staff Sgt. Darrell Stamps, master gunner for Company B, 2nd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas, demonstrates how to use
MK-19 grenade launcher during an exhibition of military weapons,
equipment, and vehicles for a platoon of Estonian Conscripts on
November 7, 2014. The U.S. Army Europe-led Atlantic Resolve, a multinational combined arms exercise involving the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and host nations, takes place across Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to enhance multinational interoperability, to strengthen relationships among allied militaries, to contribute to regional stability, and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Koster)
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“It's just fun to try these [weapons],” said Pvt. Ragnar
P?rtelsohn, a conscript training at the Tapa training
grounds. “The only weapon we have been able to shoot live
rounds and blanks with is our main weapon and the MG3. [The
American weapons are] lighter and the main weapons are much
more customizable. We don't have top-of-the-line guns.
They're older, but they're reliable.”
Some of the
weapons showcased in the exhibit included the M4 carbine, M9
pistol, and MK-19 grenade launcher, just to name a few. The
cavalry scouts also brought an M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle
and an M1126 Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicle for the
Estonians to climb in, look around, and even man the
controls to the cannons on top of the vehicles.
Although the weapon systems and vehicles were the highlight
of the exhibit, the interaction between the two countries'
armies was about more than just flashy high-tech gadgets of
war.
I think if you look at how armies and soldiers
from other countries interact with each other, you'll see
we're all typically the same, said Army Staff Sgt. Darrell
Stamps, the company's master gunner. “Once you get them
together in an environment where they can communicate with
one another, kind of explore the dislikes and likes that
they have about different countries' weapons systems, and
just have soldier-to-soldier communication, I think it
absolutely builds a bond.”
“You lose sight of that
‘I'm from a different country than you' and you start
focusing on more of ‘I'm a soldier just like how you're a
soldier and we have some of the same common interests,'”
added Stamps, an Akron, Ohio native. “You start to see some
of the soldiers loosen up and they're not just looking at
each other in passing; they're actually talking, laughing,
and joking together. You can see the bond, the relationship
building between the two countries and the soldiers. It's a
great opportunity.”
The exhibition was another way
for the two countries to come together and continue to
foster their commitment to one another as NATO allies, but
the event also helped the individual soldier build
relationships with his counterpart by breaking though
stereotypes.
“Sometimes people have this impression
that [the Americans] are cocky, but now I really like them.
So far everyone has treated me very nicely,” said P?rtelsohn,
a Rakvere, Estonia native.
“Working with the
Estonians, coming to their country, being on their
installation ... they have been very, very hospitable,” said
Stamps. “They have done nothing but help us enhance our
training. It's been a great time.”
The U.S. Army
Europe-led Atlantic Resolve, a multinational combined arms
exercise involving the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry
Division, and host nations, takes place across Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to enhance multinational
interoperability, to strengthen relationships among allied
militaries, to contribute to regional stability, and to
demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO.
By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Timothy Koster
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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