DVIDS:
Despite icy winds and low temperatures, spirits were high in Freedom Square where a military parade began convoying around noon, kicking off the 100th year anniversary of the Estonian statehood in Tallinn, Estonia Feb. 24, 2018.
The military parade consisted of 1,100 participants and more than a hundred units of military equipment, but one piece of equipment stood out towards the end of the formation. The Patriot air defense missile system carefully weaved through the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Town with the crew members waving to the crowds of spectators, many waving Estonian flags.
Cpt. Thomas Harris, commander of Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command said his team and he were excited to be able to participate in the Estonian celebration and proud to be a member of the only US Patriot battalion stationed in all of United States European Command.
“The operational tempo is high in the European theater. We go all over the continent. Netherlands, Sweden, Romania and Poland. Before we came here, we were actually in the field two to three weeks training for gunnery. So these Soldiers came out of the field, after successfully accomplishing that mission, they jumped into this one and hit the ground running. They really knocked it out of the park,” Harris said.
According to Harris, this experience was valuable and beneficial as well for his team.
“They’ve been meeting with their Estonian counter-parts, learning about their weapons systems, teaching each other and it’s been an excellent once in a lifetime opportunity for us.”
Col. David Shank, commander of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command said that it was important for Soldiers of the 10th AAMDC to participate and show a unified front with all the countries involved…
