Nicaraguan partners observe Wisconsin Guard artillery
Story by Wisconsin National Guard
Sgt. 1st Class Jaime Preder, an operations non-commissioned officer with the
Wisconsin Army National Guard's 121st Field Artillery Headquarters Battery,
discusses the Multiple Launch Rocket System with Capt. Jose Carballo, 1st
Lt. Raul Vallejos (back) and Maj. Ramon Porras of the Nicaraguan Army at
Fort McCoy, Wisc., on June 16, 2009. The Nicaraguan soldiers were taking
part in a military information exchange with the Wisconsin Army National
Guard through the State Partnership Program. (Photo courtesy of the
Wisconsin Army National Guard)download hi-res photo
FORT MCCOY, Wisc., (6/23/09) -- Soldiers from Wisconsin and Nicaragua engaged in an artillery exchange recently - in a nonhostile way.
Six artillery soldiers from the Nicaraguan Army - a major, captain, first lieutenant and three non-commissioned officers - interacted with their counterparts in the Wisconsin Army National Guard June 14-18 as part of the National Guard State Partnership Program.
Last year, Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, the adjutant general of Wisconsin, and other state Guard members visited Nicaragua.
The Nicaraguan visitors shared information in a classroom setting, through an interpreter, about their BM-21 multiple rocket launcher, a Soviet-era wheeled artillery piece featuring a 40-tube module. They then observed members of the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 121st Field Artillery Battalion fire the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) here on June 17.
"They loved it," said Maj. Eric Leckel, director of the State Partnership Program. "This was a phenomenal exchange - we achieved everything we hoped for, and more."
The information exchange, for example, gave Wisconsin Guardsmen a better understanding of military equipment currently in use by other nations, not to mention how Nicaragua's army - or ejercito - conducts operations, and their tactics, policies and procedures.
"It's truly a partnership of ideas," Leckel said.
The 426th Regiment, which operates the Wisconsin Military Academy at Fort McCoy, spearheaded this year's exchange. Leckel also credited extensive coordination with Lt. Col. Brian Wolhaupter, 121st Battalion commander, for the successful event.
The Wisconsin National Guard's partnership with the Republic of Nicaragua is entering its seventh year, but Wisconsin's relationship with the Central American nation dates back to 1964, when 18 sister-city relationships developed as a result of President Kennedy's "Alliance for Progress" initiative.
The Wisconsin National Guard also sent teams to Nicaragua in 1998 to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, and for humanitarian missions in 2000 and 2002.
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