JANUARY 19, 2023 – Members of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battle Group Poland, which is currently led by the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (3-8 CAV), 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (3-1 ABCT) operationally controlled by the 1st Infantry Division (1 ID), serve alongside the U.K. The Royal Lancers, Prince of Wales Troop, the Romanian Sky Guardians, and the Croatian Archer Battery to form a multinational fighting force in defense of the European Eastern front.
Each individual nation’s warfighting functions enhance the eFP Battle Group Poland’s capabilities to deter and defend allied nations against aggression.
“The enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Poland consists of our partner countries of Croatia, Romania and the United Kingdom, which are all the tenant members of eFP Battle Group Poland,” said Eric Yost, executive officer of the eFP Battle Group Poland and executive officer of the 3-8 CAV, 3-1 ABCT.
Individual nations contribute differing assets and fighting elements strengthening the overall combat capability of the battle group.
“The main mission for the Romanian detachment here is to cover air defense for the eFP Battle Group Poland, which gives the battle group more flexibility and more capability,” said Romanian Maj. Florian Ion, commander of Romanian Sky Guardians. “Acting in cooperation we have maneuvering forces, such as tanks and infantry units, and it is our mission to cover all of those forces with protection from air threats.”
Members of the eFP Battle Group Poland continual cohesive training has prepared the allied nations to operate as one synchronous military in all environments.
“We have in our arsenal the Romanian air defense capabilities with the air defense batteries, the UK as our reconnaissance element, out in front of the battle group controlling our indirect fires or artillery that we have from both the US artillery company and the Croatian artillery company gives us a lot of capability, a lot of lethality.” said Yost.
Each nation provides a crucial and unique element to the capabilities of the battle group.
“The Jackals provide a reconnaissance capability, and they work well with the U.S. Combined Arms Battalion and we are trained to act favorably with all of our NATO partners,” said U.K. Maj. Freddie Taylor-Dickson, commander of The Royal Lancers, Prince of Wales Troop. “As reconnaissance soldiers, we’re trained to operate by day, night, in all weather, so it is a challenging environment, but it’s one that we are prepared and trained for.”
NATO Allies work together to create stability of the European theater through interoperability and cooperation between the allied nations within the battle group.
“Exercises and training together, understanding the way that the armor, infantry, artillery and the reconnaissance elements are working together, this is interoperability,” said Ion. “Cohesion and synchronization between the other forces is very important for us.”
The eFP Battle Group Poland is positioned to be the tip of the spear, ready at a moment’s notice to engage and defend should an adversary threaten the allied nation’s sovereignty.
“The more we interact and engage with each member of the battle group, and the differing units, I think it just builds a higher level of trust within the battle group and shows the nations of NATO that we are committed to defending the Eastern Flank of NATO,” said Yost.
The impact of world events within the European theater has had a significant impact and effect among the allied nations along the front and reinforces the importance of eFP Battle Group Poland.
“Each and every nation that is represented here today, they have sent their best, their first teams, this is truly the first team represented from across multiple countries that are here committed to defending one another, the NATO alliance, and the region,” said Yost. “We are honored to be among so many professionals and we’re so very proud to be here, to be a part of eFP Battle Group Poland.”
The members of the eFP Battle Group Poland form one synchronized fighting force to create a defense wall protecting the European theater.
“We are unified as one team, and as we train as a NATO alliance and battle Group,” said Yost. “It only solidifies and reinforces that we are committed to deter any aggression and committed to the mutual defense of any of our allied partner nations.”
By Staff Sgt. Matthew Foster