Press Releases 2003
U.S. and Polish Forces Jump Feet First into "Immediate Response '03"
23 May 2003
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JAWORZE, POLAND - About 50 U.S. and Polish paratroopers parachuted
into Poland during the opening phase of "Exercise Immediate Response
’03," a computer-assisted command post exercise conducted in Poland,
June 6 - 10. The airborne assault simulated the seizure of an airbase
for the introduction of additional U.S. forces. Troops from the U.S.
Army Southern European Task Force (SETAF) and the Polish 6th Airborne
Brigade participated.
Two aircraft, one Polish and one American,
dropped approximately 50 paratroopers allowing the soldiers from the
two armies to exchange jump wings. Six Polish jumpers, who jumped from
the American C-130, had to adjust their exiting procedures to coincide
with their American
counterparts.
“Whenever we jump, as soon
as the jump master gives the go, everybody immediately goes and follows
each other out,” explained Staff Sgt. Ronald Samia, SETAF
communications chief who earned his senior parachutist badge on the
jump. “The Polish soldiers jump totally differently than we do so we
had to do a lot of rehearsals. One thing they do is an individual tap
out. Each soldier will stand in the door and wait for a tap out. So we
had to try and get that out of their routine for the jump.”
Following
the airborne insertion, soldiers from SETAF and the Polish 6th Airborne
Brigade immediately began establishing the forward command and control
headquarters and preparing for the arrival of 2nd brigade forces that
would be needed during the non-combatant evacuation exercise, which
simulates the evacuation of American citizens from a potentially
hostile environment.
"Immediate Response '03" is a part of the
Military Cooperation Initiative launched between the U.S. and Poland in
the summer of 2002 to enhance capabilities for future bilateral,
coalition or alliance operations.
The purpose of "Immediate
Response '03" is to enhance joint and combined interoperability;
conduct bilateral training with a partner nation; and exercise command
and control functions from distributed locations during a non-combatant
evacuation (NEO) exercise. The main exercise participants are the
headquarters of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force (SETAF),
elements of the Polish 6th Airborne Brigade, and the 2nd Brigade of the
U.S. 1st Infantry Division.
Crossing cultural boundaries,
soldiers from both countries are gaining valuable experiences during
the exercise. “It has been interesting,” said Pvt. Edwin Zerpa, 13th
Military Police company. “We are learning from each other as far as
culture and language and how they operate militarily. It will be and
has already been a worthwhile experience.”
Polish soldiers are
embracing the experience to work with their American counterparts. “It
is very exciting working with the Americans. I’ve never had the
opportunity to work with them,” said Pvt. Milewski Maciej, Polish 2nd
Mechanized Brigade. “It lets me work on my English and we are getting
to do a lot of things that we don’t usually do.”
The director
of the exercise is Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Turner, the SETAF commanding
general. The Polish Ministry of Defense is hosting the exercise.
Maj.
Gen. Thomas Turner, commanding general of the U.S. Army Southern
European Task Force, pins American airborne wings on a Polish soldier
after U.S. and Polish paratroopers jumped into Poland on June 6. | 
Lt.
Andrzej Falarczyk, Polish 2nd Mechanized Brigade, assembles an M-4/203
while Sgt. Dustin Shackelford and Pfc. Aaron Friederich, Southern
European Task Force 13th MP Company, look on. The SETAF and Polish
soldiers are taking the opportunity to perform some combined training
during Exercise "Immediate Response '03." (Photo by Spc. Adrian
Schulte, SETAF Public Affairs). | 
Lt.
Col. Scott McConnell, operations officer for the U.S. Army Southern
European Task Force, works with Polish liaison officers from the 6th
Airborne Brigade in SETAF’s forward joint operations center. The Polish
liaison officers are working with U.S. soldiers to develop a plan for a
simulated evacuation of civilians during the exercise scenario. |
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Col.
Randal Dragon, commander, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, speaks to
journalists covering Exercise "Immediate Response '03" June 9 in
Poland. Col. Dragon is flanked by members of the Polish 6th Airborne
Brigade who have been integrated into the brigade battle staff during
the exercise. (Photo by Spc. Adrian Schulte). | | | |
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