Gallery: Estonian, US soldiers face off at Winter Camp
The tactical phase of the 1st Infantry Battalion's Winter Camp exercise began on Wednesday, in which battalion conscripts and a company-sized unit of U.S. troops will face off against Estonia's Scouts Battalion.
Through March 4, the Scouts Battalion will provide counteraction for conscripts from the training company of the Kalev Infantry Battalion and the anti-tank company and training company of the logistics battalion of the 1st Infantry Brigade, the Estonian Defence Forces announced in a press release.
According to Commander of the Kalev Infantry Battalion Lt. Col. Mait Müürisepp, the Winter Camp exercise provides conscripts of the EDF an ideal opportunity to practice their skills in conditions closely resembling reality.
"The Scouts Battalion opposing us will show no mercy to our soldiers and battling such a worthy opponent is a huge bonus," Müürisepp said, noting that training alongside active service members increases the quality of the training the conscripts receive.
On March 4, the Scouts Battalion and the U.S. company will begin a two-day training exercise in offensive tactics in which they will be opposed by a training company of the Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion arriving from Võru.
A total of over 1,700 participants, including conscripts and active service members of the Estonian Defence Forces, the volunteer Estonian Defence League and U.S. troops from the company currently stationed in Estonia, are taking part in the week-long Winter Camp exercise, which kicked off on Monday and will conclude on March 5.
Editor: Aili Vahtla