Video

Video by Capt. Douglas Halleaux

Michigan Soldiers Receive Mission Briefing for Silver Arrow

Michigan National Guard

Oct. 1, 2014 | 1:17

Preparations continue in advance of Operation Silver Arrow, a multinational training exercise led by the Latvian military and joined by soldiers of the Michigan Army National Guard. Engineering and military police teams from Michigan’s 177th Military Police Brigade, headquartered in Taylor, Michigan, received their mission briefing today.

Lt. Col. Janus Dzenevs , Latvian battalion commander: “Today was assigned formally for the companies to receive the operational order. And, that's the main goal. The second is, they have to recon the sites- first of all- their first time here in this terrain and they have to go for the RECCE.”

1st Lt. Matthew Duncan of the 1433rd Engineer Company in Augusta, Michigan will be leading a platoon of mainly Latvian soldiers.

1st Lt. Matthew Duncan, engineer platoon leader: “They said, 'hey, we're comrades, we're going to throw you into the fire, we trust you, and we know what you can do.'"

Duncan has had the opportunity so far to observe Latvian planning techniques.
The other Michigan soldiers will be embedded in Latvian units, creating a unique training experience.
Silver Arrow ends October fifth, after which Michigan soldiers will prepare to return home.