WEBVTT

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- Okay, for our peace submission for safe regarding

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is we are Operation Peace Sentinal.

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It's kind of a joint partnership exercise down here.

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Koren training area with the Bulgarians,

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the Serbians and then Alpha Company one eight.

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Our biggest challenge at the tactical level

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when we first got here was definitely communications.

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Both radio suites, things like that,

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and then just general language barriers.

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Fortunately, there's been enough English speaking soldiers,

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in both Bulgarians and Serbians,

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that we've been able to overcome that.

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We had to adapt our, kind of our techniques,

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for the first day of company maneuver exercises,

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but we kind of figured it out.

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We've completed our Urban Platoon Livefire

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operation here today.

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Next we'll move in to a day of planning,

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and then company, or, correction,

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battalion maneuver exercises.

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I think it's gone really well,

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because one, we've been able to teach them some things,

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but then they've also been able to teach us

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some of their tactics.

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So now I feel like we can operate jointly,

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and be safe and lethal.

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I think the biggest benefit in working

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with our partner nations is just building that report

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at the company leadership level and below.

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I've met some fantastic company commanders

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in the Bulgarians and the Serbians as well,

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and then the soldiers have kind of intermingled

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with Serbian and Bulgarian soldiers.

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So we kind of know how everybody operates at this point.

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So, I think that's been our best advantage

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and best takeaway from the exercise.

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Absolutely, I know if we're operating

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in the Eastern European Theater, as we are right now,

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because of this operation, I can pick up a Bulgarian

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or Serbian platoon, or element of any size,

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and we know how to fight together.

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And I hope they take back the same thing

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they're learning from us, as we are from them,

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back to their home nations.

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I feel the exercise has strengthened our relationship,

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both on the tactical and interpersonal level.

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Not only are we better tactically,

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and more lethal as a formation,

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but now, when we first got here we made

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a very good impression on them,

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and they have as well us with their hospitality

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and things like that.

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So, we kind of know the backgrounds

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and we've been able to share a little of the history

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of our nation, cause we had fourth of July here,

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and we had the Bulgarians included in that.

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And then they're sharing a bit of their culture with us.

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So, it's been beneficial on all levels

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for all the soldiers.