The 2d Cavalry Assn News Center

Taking Aim
Grafenwoehr, Germany –1st. Lt. Adam Cucchiara, platoon leader of 2nd Platoon Ghost Rider Company, 3rd Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment shows his German counterparts the correct stance for engaging the enemy in close combat.
(U.S. Army photos by Spc. Jerry Wilson, 2SCR/Public Affairs)

2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment
Public Affairs Office Vilseck, Germany
PHONE: DSN: 476-5017 COMMERCIAL (49) 09662-83-5017
E-mail: 2scrwebmaster@eur.army.mil Website: www.2SCR.army.mil

VILSECK, Germany – Soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment’s Ghost Rider Company teamed up with their German counterparts from the 12th Panzer Brigade recently for a day of training together and learning from each other. The units gathered at range 312 in the Grafenwoehr Training Area for partnership training in stress shooting and a little friendly competition.

“The training we are doing is two fold,” said 1st Lt. Adam Cucchiara, platoon leader of 2nd Platoon Ghost Rider Company, 3rd Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment. “The first part is a squad competition.”

According to Cucchiara squads compete against each other in an extended dismounted movement of approximately 12 miles followed by a series of physical exercises designed to simulate stress and increase the Soldier’s heart rate. Once their heart rate was up, each Soldier then went through a close quarters shooting engagement. Cucchiara explained that the competition added a friendly rivalry to the day’s training.

“Anytime you can put a little competition into training,” he said, “it makes the Soldiers more motivated to do it.
The day’s training also provided an opportunity to share techniques, procedures and camaraderie with their German counterparts from the 12th Panzer Brigade.

“We believe strongly in joint training and like to do it every chance we get ,” Cucchiara said. “It would be a shame for us to do all this training here in Germany without working alongside our NATO partners, whom we will probably end up working with downrange anyway.”

For Capt. Sven Loersch and his fellow Soldiers from the 104th Tank Battalion of the 12th Panzer Brigade the experience was one they had all looked forward to.

“We have been very disappointed we have had no partnership training with 2SCR in the past two years,” Loersch said. “We all feel this type of training is important.”

Loersch said the most important skill he and his Soldiers take from training with their American counterparts is their ability to improve their language and communication skills.

“One thing we have noticed during our last mission was the importance of being able to communicate,” Loersch explained. “Our English knowledge, especially on military terms is very low and these exercises give us a chance to improve that.”
“The other fact is we are neighbors here and it is wonderful to work together,” Loersch said.

This exercise was the beginning of many more partnership training programs to be held in the future between the 2SCR and the 12th Panzer Brigade.

Taking Aim
Grafenwoehr, Germany –1st. Lt. Adam Cucchiara, platoon leader of 2nd Platoon Ghost Rider Company, 3rd Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment shows a Soldier from the 12th Panzer Brigade the proper hand pacement on the M-4 rifle.

Helping hand
Grafenwoehr, Germany –Staff Sgt. Jared Utter shows his German counterpart how to fire the M-240 Bravo during partnership training held recently at the Grafenwoehr Training Area.

PUSH
Grafenwoehr, Germany –Soldiers from the 104th Tank Battallion of the 12th Panzer Brigade get a quick workout during the stress shoot portion of the training.

The basics
Grafenwoehr, Germany –Sgt. Allen Sweeney of Ghost Company, 2SCR shows a fellow Soldier some of the finer points to the M-4 grenade launcher.