POLAND — From his hometown Lima, Ohio, to the vibrant military community of Baumholder, Germany, this Soldier's story is one of dedication, growth and a deep commitment to service.
U.S. Army Sgt. Gavin Hutchison is a network communication system specialist (25H) assigned to the 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced based out of Baumholder. His experience as a Soldier has provided him with the opportunity to train with multicultural partners and allied nations, specifically while participating in Saber Strike 24.
"One of the cool things about having a support specialty is we get attached to a bunch of different units," says Hutchison. "We get to see the operations through other jobs like air defense and infantry. So just the diversity of the job and being able to see every different element that the Army has to provide."
For Hutchison, the draw of Saber Strike 24 lies in its ability to bring together multiple allied nations under one common goal. This training serves as an opportunity for soldiers from different nations to share their skills and strengthen their bond and demonstrate the continued strength of the NATO alliance.
“Sgt. Hutchison is supporting me with communications so I will be able to interact with them in the Northeast, which is critical for operations between 2nd Cavalry Regiment and Multinational Division North East,” says U.S. Army Maj. Sergio Franco, provost marshal for 3rd Infantry Division. “His professionalism and attitude are the glue between us and the system of operations.”
One of Hutchison’s favorite parts of serving in the Army is the diverse group of people he has created bonds with and the camaraderie that it creates. Beyond just sharing this experience with the U.S. Soldiers, he values the experience Saber Strike 24 gives him to work alongside militaries from other countries.
“In the beginning of the exercise, many lines of communication needed to be established with the U.S. Army and the Polish armed forces,” says Hutchison. “Whenever speedbumps arose in the process it took efforts from both nations to come together to make things operational.”
Saber Strike 24 helps build unit readiness in a complex multilateral environment and leverage host nation capabilities. “Through these interactions, I’ve learned to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries, building trust and fostering strong relationships,” says Hutchison. “Saber Strike definitely has strengthened the alliance as we work toward achieving common goals.”
Exercise Saber Strike is part of the Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness (DEFENDER) series, a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response.
DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from March 18 to May 31, 2024. DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Learn more about DEFENDER.
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