Mission Readiness [Image 2 of 2]

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 251st Engineer Company, Maine Army National Guard from Norway, Maine are setting up a light medium tactical vehicle (LMTV) for a joint exercise with the Finnish army and 10th Mountain Division May 23, 2024, near Sodankyla, Finland. The 251st Engineer Company is in Finland as a part of Defender Europe 2024. Defender 24 enhances combat readiness amongst participating NATO Allies and partner nations, ensuring their ability to rapidly respond to emerging threats. DEFENDER is the Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness, and is a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from 28 March to 31 May. DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Gavin Hardy)