Press Releases 2003

U.S. and Polish Forces Jump Feet First into "Immediate Response '03"

23 May 2003

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.
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).