WEBVTT

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For Flaming Thunder 2024 , NATO allies

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converged in Lithuania to demonstrate

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their combined firepower and strengthen

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their indirect fire support

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capabilities . The exercise held from

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September 23rd to the 27th highlighted

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NATO's commitment to readiness and

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interoperability , showcasing military

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cooperation among the United States ,

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Lithuania , the Czech Republic , and

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the Netherlands . The , the

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benefit is that it's allowing us to

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exercise the muscles that uh we usually

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don't get to in some of our smaller

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echelon training . Uh , having

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different militaries out here allows us

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to exercise the interoperability .

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Between nations as well as coordination

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of movements and fires , of course ,

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the more training that we get like this ,

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the more the ability that we have to

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work with our partner forces and the

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more integration we have at higher

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echelons allows us to achieve different

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effects . Soldiers and airmen from the

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Pennsylvania National Guard played a

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key role in this exercise ,

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underscoring their long standing

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partnership with Lithuania , which

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began in 1993 as part of the National

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Guard State Partnership program . This

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collaboration has been a cornerstone of

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US military diplomacy in the region

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supporting security cooperation , NATO

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exercises , and global deployments . Um ,

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but it , it's really the , the

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friendship and just that common

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understanding that no matter what the

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green suit is , we still deal with the

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same things . The high intensity

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flaming thunder exercise focused on

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enhancing NATO's joint air-ground

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integration with Lithuania's joint

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Around integration cell coordinating

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air and ground fire support across

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multiple nations . This exercise

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emphasized interoperability as US

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forces collaborated with Czech

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artillery , Dutch ground units , and

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Lithuanian joint airground integration

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cells to ensure precise artillery

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strikes . Uh , and basically , uh ,

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148 ASOS commander came as A to support

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me , and he briefed me so many um

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techniques how to use airspace , how to

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implement uh assets , uh , how to

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integrate fire support plan and support

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it with gas or air introduction

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missions . So it was an amazing

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experience , actually one of the best

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exercises . It marked another

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successful year of testing NATO units'

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ability to complete live fire tasks

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while strengthening cooperation among

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fire support units . So yes , that

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interoperability is the most amazing

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point because we are doing our job . We

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are here at this area . We are working

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at the ground with the ground control

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station , so we are like in our own

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bubble , but when we go meet

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the other partners and

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the Yeah , we can meet other people .

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We can provide them information . We

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get asked for when can we fly , so we

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are . They need us and we need them ,

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you know , to make the process , to

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make this process useful and to get

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something out of it .

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As Flaming Thunder 2024 concluded , it

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reinforced NATO's ability to

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effectively integrate its forces ,

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ensuring that the alliance remains

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ready and lethal in the face of modern

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threats . The Pennsylvania National

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Guard's enduring relationship with

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Lithuania continues to strengthen the

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defense of sovereign borders and

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Euro-Atlantic security . In Probra

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Lithuania for Flaming Thunder 2024 .

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I'm Airman First Class Matthew Berg .