U.S. Army Europe Soldiers, assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment, study a map and prepare to convoy though the Maneuver Rights Area near Amberg, Germany, enroute to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center’s Hohenfels Training Area, Oct. 16. The U.S. Army Europe's exercise Saber Junction 2012 trains U.S. personnel and 1800 multinational partners from 18 nations ensuring interoperability and an agile, ready coalition force.

After two weeks of intense training, about 2000 troops from eight nations begin to pack up and head home from five locations spread across Estonia and Latvia as exercise Saber Strike 2012 comes to an official close following ceremonies in Tapa, Estonia, and Adazi, Latvia. The troops will leave having made new friends, learned new techniques, and developed the confidence that they will be able to better operate together in upcoming deployments to Afghanistan.

Today marked the official opening of the 2012 Eurosatory International Exhibition, the world’s largest international land security and defense trade show, being held in Paris through June 15.

PARIS, France -- Sgt. Robert Donahue, a Louisville, Ky., native, with the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment from Vilseck, Germany explains some of the capabilities of the Stryker to a visitor during the 2012 Eurosatory International Exhibition held in Paris, June 11.

Adazi, Latvia – Spc. Adam Torres, a native of Austin, Texas, assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment explains the capabilities of a Stryker vehicle to a Latvian Soldier, at the Exercise Saber Strike 2012 ice breaker event here, on June 9. Saber Strike 2012 is a U.S. Army Europe led, multinational exercise based in Estonia and Latvia.

U.S. Army Europe's 2nd Cavalry Regiment Lt. Col. Kendric Robbins salutes a Croatian Army soldier as he commends him for his outstanding performances to soldiers from eight different NATO partner nations during the closing ceremonies of the Immediate Response 2012 training event held in Slunj, Croatia, June 9.

Immediate Response 12 (IR12), the multinational military exercise between U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Air Force, the Croatian Land Forces and partner militaries from six other Balkan nations, started today with an opening ceremony in Slunj, Croatia.

Soldiers from eight partnering NATO nations present their flags as Major General Dragutin Repinc, Commander of the Croatian Land Forces, speaks to a multi-national armed forces formation which begins day one of the Immediate Response 2012 training event held in Slunj, Croatia, on Saturday, May 26, 2012. Immediate Response 2012 is a multinational tactical field training exercise that will involve more than 700 personnel primarily from the U.S. Army Europe's 2nd Calvary Regiment and Croatian armed forces, with contingents from Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. Slovenia, Macedonia and Serbia will send observers to the exercise. The exercise is a part of USEUCOM's joint training and exercise program designed to enhance joint and combined interoperability between the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Croatian Armed Forces and partner nations, and will help prepare participants to operate successfully in a joint, multinational, interagency, integrated environment.

HOHENFELS TRAINING AREA, Germany — A chilly wind rolls over the hilltops and through a forward operating base here. Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment start the engines of their armored vehicles and put on their Kevlar helmets, body armor and eye protection to prepare for the long day ahead. Danger is hidden somewhere in the woods, ready to move against these soldiers. But the Stryker troops are ready.

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIRFIELD, Romania - Soldiers of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment based in Vilseck, Germany, have been training for the past three months in Romania and Bulgaria as part of their preparations for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan this spring.