State Partnership Program

Video by Sgt. Nathaniel Duane Phillips

Soldiers Radio News

Defense Media Activity - Army Productions

June 20, 2017 | 1:00

US Forces in Europe partner with NATO allies, Poland and Lithuania, to cross the Suwalki Gap.

SERGEANT NATHANIEL PHILLIPS, SOLDIERS RADIO NEWS

THE ENHANCED FORWARD PRESENCE BATTLE GROUPS OF POLAND AND LITHUANIA WORKED TOGETHER TO CROSS THE SUWALKI GAP, A NARROW PASSAGE SEPARATING NATO ALLIES IN THE BALTIC NEAR RUSSIA'S KALININGRAD ENCLAVE. U-S LIEUTENANT COLONEL STEVEN GVENTER SAYS THE EXERCISE IS VITAL.

"WE'RE ABLE TO DO A CROSSING THROUGH THE SUWALKI GAP TO TACTICALLY LINK IN WITH THE FORWARD PASSAGE ALLIANCE TO SECURE THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION TO CONTINUE TO KEEP UP OUR ABILITY TO WORK AS A NATO ALLIANCE AND TO HAVE NO SPLIT BETWEEN US."

LITHUANIAN LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHRISTOPHER HUBER SAYS THE EXERCISE REENFORCES CONFIDENCE WITHIN THE NATO ALLIANCE.

"I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE EXCHANGE OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND IN THIS CASE WE DID A LOT OF EXERCISES, ALWAYS TOGETHER, AND I THINK THIS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW EACH OTHER, WE CAN TRUST EACH OTHER, AND CAN RELY ON EACH OTHER."

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