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# American, NATO allies unite at Slovak Shield 2016

By Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke24th Press Camp Headquarters

LEST MILITARY TRAINING AREA, SLOVAKIA - U.S. Army cavalry scouts and Indiana Guard members are fully engaged in joint-operations training alongside their NATO allies from the Czech Army, Polish Armed Forces, Hungarian Defense Forces, and the Ministry of Defense-Crisis Department and the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.

The 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Stryker Combat Team, based in Vilseck, Germany and Chemical, Engineer, Military Police and support personnel from the Indiana National Guard are taking part in Slovak Shield 2016 at Military Training Area Lest, Slovak Republic, 6-13 Oct.

Slovak Shield 2016 is a multinational training exercise of more than 2,000 participants. This year the training expanded beyond MTA Lest with assets as far as Bratislava, Slovakia and other locations fully integrated into the exercise.

The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia are part of the Visegrad Group, known as V4, which is an alliance they’ve had since 1991. The Group’s aim is to encourage optimum cooperation with all countries and the democratic development for all of Europe.

“Slovak Shield 2016 is a flagship exercise of V4 countries, plus our strategic partner, the United States,” said Lt. General Pavel Macko, Slovak Shield director and 1st Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic. “Every year, V4 countries get together to organize a complex exercise in one of the nations.”

“We’ve come together to train and to show the strength of our alliance, to show our competence and improve it; show our populations we are here to protect them,” he added.

The exercise has combined arms ranges, multinational units working side-by-side and a live exercise, testing every ally's ability to function as one.

“For us, this is a unique exercise, and also a unique opportunity to train together and gain experience from the combined multinational environment to prove that we can work together,” Macko said. “We can achieve and improve our interoperability and stand together forming a strong alliance.”

Slovak Shield is a part of Atlantic Resolve, a U.S. led effort in Eastern Europe that demonstrates the U.S. commitment to the collective security of NATO and enduring peace and stability in the region.

The full integration of the Regular Army troops and Indiana Guard was fitting after many years working together through the National Guard State Partnership Program and U.S. Army Europe initiatives.

“It is an honor to be able to participate in this exercise with all of our NATO partners, the Indiana National Guard has had a partnership with Slovakia for 25 years,” said Lt. Col. Todd Baker, officer in charge of Indiana Guardsmen. “The National Guard as well as our active duty brethren ave participated in numerous exercises and mobilizations with many of the forces that we have here.”

“In today’s environment working with all of our allies is what will help strengthen all of us and make a better future for all,” he concluded.

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