Trending
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- About 450 National Guard troops from northcentral Pennsylvania will spend a year in Poland next spring as a means of countering Russian aggression in the Baltic states.
Many of those soldiers went through training exercises in California and are attached to the 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, formerly the 3rd Battalion, 103rd Armor.
"The unit's mission is to deter Russian aggression," said regiment Maj. Thomas Rebuck.
The soldiers, who underwent live-fire battlefield exercises, form the core of a multi-national battle group comprising soldiers from Tennessee, the United Kingdom, Romania and Croatia.
Deployment is expected throughout March, with additional training at Fort Hood, Texas.
Armories at Grove Street in Williamsport, Lock Haven, Wellsboro, Danville and Lewisburg will be sending troops, Rebuck said.
Williamsport, Wellsboro and the infantry in Lewisburg will receive sustaining and supporting efforts of the headquarters troops from Danville and the forward support troop in Lock Haven. The Clinton County group provides services to include reconnaissance, indirect fire, medical, food service, resupply and maintenance.
The training helped their leadership evaluate strengths and weaknesses and refine warfighting capabilities.
The exercises at Fort Irwin, California, were described as "tough," "realistic," "force-on-force" and requiring decisive action, according to Lt. Col. Mark P. O'Neill Jr., the squadron commander.
"These lessons will be incorporated into our pre-deployment training plan to ensure we are fully prepared to accomplish the national security objectives we are tasked with while overseas," O'Neill said.
"Our soldiers and staff did an excellent job in preparing for the center," said Maj. Justin Cassidy, squadron plans officer. "The unit integrated a multitude of platforms and weapons systems into its plan and utilized them effectively."
The live-fire exercises included tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, 120mm mortars, self-propelled Howitzer and AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships.