Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment hosted German Army Master Sgt. Steven Solis as part of a broader partner training initiative. The exchange aimed to strengthen interoperability between allied forces operating in the region.
Solis spent two weeks working alongside U.S. Soldiers during German-led marksmanship and military skills events. These activities included weapons qualification, physical fitness testing, marching and medical tasks tied to German military awards.
During the exchange, U.S. personnel invited Solis to participate in Abrams tank familiarization at the unit’s motor pool. The training allowed him to enter the vehicle, learn basic controls and operate the tank under supervision.
“The Abrams is a beast,” Solis said. “It was a very special honor for me to work here with my American comrades.”
U.S. Army Sgt. John Singleton, a gunner in the unit, said the session provided an opportunity to share operational knowledge with allied forces. He described the training as a valuable experience for both sides.
“Today we showed some of our German partners around and got them driving the tanks,” Singleton said. “We got him inside the tank, showed him how to operate it a little bit, how to start it, how to change gears and how to drive it. It was great to get them out here.”
Singleton noted that such opportunities are relatively uncommon for U.S. Soldiers working with the Abrams platform. He added that the exchange allowed both forces to benefit from shared expertise.
The training combined German-led qualification events with U.S. armored instruction. Officials said the joint effort helped reinforce cooperation and readiness among NATO partners in Lithuania.
