Soldiers from Mustang Troop (A Squadron) The Light Dragoons are deploying to Poland with the US 2d Cavalry Regiment as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP).
About 150 Light Dragoons will join the United States-led eFP Battlegroup based in Poland. The Battlegroup elements have left Germany and are now conducting a tactical road move to Orzysz, Poland.
The Battlegroup consists of approximately 1,300 soldiers from the United States Army The 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, A Squadron The Light Dragoons, an Air Defence artillery battery and a Military police company from Romania. They will integrate with the Polish 15th Mechanized Brigade, 16th Infantry Division.
The Light Dragoons, currently located in Germany, will operate from their Jackal 2 fighting vehicles.
Major Noel Claydon-Swales, Officer Commanding A Squadron, The Light Dragoons, described the deployment as a great opportunity. He said: “We are going to Poland at the request of their Government to act as a deterrent and to provide reassurance to our NATO allies.
“We are looking forward to starting and working further with our NATO allies as part of the eFP Poland Battlegroup. The mood among everyone is very positive. We have worked hard for the last month working on our interoperability, proving concept and testing ourselves constantly.”
The road move to Poland itself is a challenge for the troops, who are travelling 1300km.
The US-led Poland battlegroup is one of four NATO multinational deployments to the eastern part of the Alliance, with the UK, Germany and Canada leading on the others.