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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Aug 21, 2008 - 7:13:55 AM |
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Pa. National Guard lends expertise in Hope
A song of Hope
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| Maj. Ian Ranberg, Pennsylvania Army National Guardsman and chief of the mobile civil-military cooperation for Amber Hope, uses his Russian skills to communicate with Estonian public affairs specialist Liivi Parrest during field training exercises in Lithuania. (Photo by Pfc. Matt Jones, 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) |
Blackanthem Military News, FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA. - Hand in hand, a united chain of freedom and humanity two-million people strong stretched out across the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The cold and huddled masses of those who yearned and dared to be free lifted their voices to sing illegal songs in defience of their Soviet oppressors. Their “Singing Revolution” of 1989 would be a mighty chorus of change leading to independence and partnership with free nations.
Today, the concrete and steel reminders of the less than subtle Iron Curtain are few and far between as Klaipeda, Lithuania welcomed more than 1,500 troops from 10 free nations to Amber Hope 2007 held June 17 through July 1. The biennial exercise aims to improve interoperability in the event of a global or local crisis for NATO and Partnership for Peace countries.
Through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program, members of the Pennsylvania National Guard not only extended their 13-year relationship with Lithuania, they also found an opportunity to partner for peace, while better preparing their allies for war.
“This exercise allows us to work side-by-side with our military counterparts from around the world,” said Maj. Ian Ranberg, who is serving as chief of the mobile civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) team for the Lithuanian Battalion. “We definitely have been able to lend the expertise we have gained from our training as Pennsylvania National Guard members to this multinational training exercise. It’s an experience we will never forget.”
Great training, always raining
For Maj. Ranberg and his CIMIC team, Amber Hope would impose many challenges and little rest. Hundreds of Lithuanian soldiers would provoke them, dressed as angry role-playing protesters in around-the-clock scenarios aimed at duplicating hot spots from around the globe.
“The Lithuanians are preparing to go to Afghanistan. They’re doing tough, realistic training and it shows,” said Ranberg.
Violent funeral protests, riot control, children with weapons and roadside bombs became the norm for the teams who battled steady rain and summer temperatures falling into the low 40s.
“My day consisted of helping cold, tired and hungry refugees, translating for drunken Russians nationals who were lost, and meeting with local officials who gave us an IED as a gift,” said Ranberg, a Desert Storm vet and chemist who studied Russian in college. “I wouldn’t say it was a great day, but it was a great training day.”
Brothers in any language
But the seemingly impossible barriers created by language were never enough to derail the commonalities fused by the brotherhood of soldiers. One of those bonds was often humor.
“I’ve learned a lot in these past two weeks,” said Ranberg. “In fact, just this morning, a British officer informed me that I am not, in fact, fluent in English. I do however speak American very well.”
Good humor and great attitudes were not only found within English speaking circles though. For Lithuanian Infantry Sgt. Sergei Vladimirov, a mere gesture of friendship would transcend his inability to translate his feelings.
Vladimirov, upon seeing an American uniform from the Pennsylvania National Guard, rushed over to greet his fellow soldier. Not being to speak English would prove only temporarily frustrating.
Searching for words in Lithuanian, then Russian, he would finally rely on a more tried and true gesture. He embraced his surprised American colleague in a mighty hug then found the only word of English he knew. “Brother,” Vladimirov exclaimed as he tore off his Velcro name tape and unit patch and gave it to the soldier as a gesture of respect and friendship. That, the Guardsmen understood very well.
Read, white and blue
For then 8-year-old Liivi Parrest, who was born in Estonia behind the oppressive Iron Curtain, thoughts of freedom were as much a fantasy as a Hollywood movie. But unlike millions who only saw what strict propagandists wanted people to see, Liivi was awakened by a vision of hope manifested in a few white pieces of paper.
On a recent trip, her father had squirreled away a blue covered atlas, which he fervently kept hidden in fear its discovery would bring severe punishment and retribution. Proudly opening up the page to Europe, he pointed to pictures, the likes of which she had never seen. Rather than showing a giant red mass like the map she was issued in school, his fingertip gently pointed to new boundaries and a sentence written in English.
According to the atlas, “The annexation of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in 1940 by the Soviet Union has never been officially recognized by the United States government.”
“That’s when I found out that the emotion ‘pride’ lives in your chest - not in your head nor stomach nor anywhere else, but the chest - because that’s where I felt this very strong and powerful feeling,” said Parrest, 24, who, as a public affairs specialist, ensures accurate information is delivered to a free press in her native Estonia.
Because of this pride, Parrest is not bashful in giving thanks to the United States government and people for showing her the realities and possibilities of freedom.
“Americans knew we had been treated unfairly,” said Parrest with a surprising smile. “They were not ashamed, scared or too polite to write it down and print it in a very big book.”
In August 1991, Estonia declared its independence and the last Russian troops left their country in 1994. Today, the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia enjoy freedom and open relations with the United States, to include the deployment of troops in the Global War on Terror.
Pfc Matt Jones contributed to this article
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Lithuanian soldiers trade in their uniforms for clothing meant to simulate angry protesters in a funeral procession during Amber Hope 2007, a biennial multinational exercise using scenarios faced in real hot spots across the globe. (Photo by Pfc. Matt Jones, 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) |
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| Maj. Ian Ranberg, Pennsylvania Army National Guardsman and chief of the mobile civil-military cooperation for Amber Hope, checks on the status of his Lithuanian colleagues during field exercises in Klaipeda, Lithuania. (Photo by Pfc. Matt Jones, 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) |
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