
	D

You Are In: Home > U.S. Policy & Issues > Embassy Press Releases

Policy News
Webchats
Embassy Press Releases
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Official Visits
Joint Task Force East
Washington File
White House & Defense News
Reports on Romania

Joint Task Force-East Press Release

Sgt. Daniel Long, B Co., Task Force Deep Steel, runs to the finish of the urban orienteering course during the Joint Task Force-East Soldier and NCO of the Rotation competition Wednesday. The course, one of many events in the competition had competitors running up and down Mihail Koglniceanu Air Base finding hidden points and returning to the finish before time expires. (Photo by Sgt. Justin Nieto, JTF-East Public Affairs)

Soldiers, NCOs compete for title in JTF-East

Joint Task Force-East
Public Affairs Office
Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base
Tel: 0040-241-60-8288
DSN: 770-8288

October 12, 2007
No. 20071012-2

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania -- U.S. Soldiers here competed Wednesday for the honor of being recognized as the "Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Rotation" for the Joint Task Force-East's Proof of Principle Exercise.

The U.S. Air Force, Navy and the Romanian Soldiers serving in JTF-East also selected their finest troops to represent their services as the best of the rotation.

"While personnel assigned to Joint Task Force-East performed superbly; several have truly distinguished themselves," said Sgt. Maj. Karen Kelly, command sergeant major for Joint Task Force-East. "We conducted a challenging competition to select the noncommissioned officer and Soldiers, Sailor, and Airman that best epitomized the competence, leadership, and dedication of their units."

The U.S. Army competition began before dawn as the Soldiers prepared for a physical fitness test, followed by a written exam and a review in front of a board of superiors.

The board is an Army tradition, which has the Soldier go forward before a panel of his superiors, conduct marching movements, answer questions about the military and generally react to stress.

Soon after, the Soldiers had to demonstrate their proficiency with the Army standard-issue weapon, the M16 assault rifle, in the state-of-the-art Engagement Skills Trainer, an indoor, simulated rifle range.

The competitors then had to negotiate an urban orienteering course. The course consisted of numerous points hidden all over the air base, which the Soldiers had to find before their time limit of 30 minutes expired.

Finally, the Soldiers' knowledge of common Soldier tasks was evaluated in the "mystery" event.

The Soldier and NCO of the Rotation winner, along with the winners from the other branches of service and the Romanian Land Forces, will be recognized during the JTF-East Closing Ceremony on October 22.

For more information regarding the JTF-E PoP exercise please contact the JTF-E Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Troy Darr, 0040 241-608-288, or 0040 0730-630-025, or by email: troy.darr@us.army.mil.

This site is produced and maintained by the Public Diplomacy Office of the United States Embassy in Romania.
Links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.