Maryland National Guard trains 600 Estonian volunteer members during tactical live-fire exercise
Story by Sgt. Danyelle Lanford
JÕHVI, Estonia – Twelve Soldiers from the Maryland Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment, supported the Estonian Defense League (EDL) during Exercise Ussisonad 24, a squad live-fire exercise held Sept. 7-8, 2024, at the Sirgala Training Area near the Russian border. This mutually beneficial training event was part of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program, which began in 1993 when Maryland became a partnering nation with Estonia.
During the two-day training exercise, the MDARNG Soldiers provided train-the-trainer guidance for executing squad-level live-fire exercises to strengthen interoperability between U.S. and Estonian forces. Approximately 600 EDL section leaders and personnel participated, rotating through training lanes that included both practice (dry) and live-fire phases.
“The EDL has performed far beyond what we expected,” said Maryland Army National Guard Sgt. Conner McClaskey, an infantryman with the 1-175th Infantry Regiment. “The way they’re able to shoot, move, and communicate is incredible — especially considering they’re not paid for it. They do it because, if called upon, they want to stand up for their country. I respect that more than anything in the world.”
The exercise commenced with the dry-fire phase, allowing participants to rehearse squad movement and actions under simulated conditions, including reacting to mines, responding to enemy direct fire, and neutralizing armored vehicle threats. Participants formed squads and were then issued live ammunition to progress to the live-fire phase, employing live ammunition in similar scenarios.
“Section commanders need to make decisions depending on what actions they see on the ground,” said Estonian Defense League Command Sgt. Maj. Ott Sepp, the command sergeant major of the EDL’s Northeast region. “The Maryland Army National Guard non-commissioned officers are here to give inside experience on how to improve our range conducting skills from a tactical perspective.”
From the planning stages to the execution of the exercise, MDARNG and EDL leadership worked together to ensure seamless coordination. Maryland Soldiers played a key role in marking training area boundaries, placing simulated mines, and plotting target locations with a focus on tactical realism. “We’ve been working very closely together…ensuring that everything was thought through as a joint effort,” added Sepp.
“It’s not just about coming out here to build relationships and have fun; it’s about building capacity and capabilities,” said Maryland Army National Guard 1st Sgt. Matthew Hawkland, a senior noncommissioned officer with the 1-175th Infantry Regiment. “We’re helping the Estonians [EDL] gain more confidence in their ability to maneuver under fire alongside their allies, and that’s something we can’t replicate anywhere else.”
According to Hawkland, the exercise training was planned, coordinated, and executed by Maryland NCOs. “This is the first time we’ve operated this closely with the Estonians on a maneuver live-fire range,” he said. “We’re going through squads — moving, firing, and communicating at the same time.”
The Estonian Defense League is a mostly voluntary national defense organization in Estonia, composed of civilian members who are trained to support the country’s military efforts. The EDL works alongside the Estonian Armed Forces to enhance national security through exercises like Ussisonad 24.
“The training went really well. The U.S. provided us with valuable insights, and I hope we were able to give something back in return,” said Estonian Defense League Sgt. Siim Saradik, assigned to an anti-armored and javelin unit. “I’m definitely taking a lot away from this exercise, especially how the U.S. utilizes the terrain.”
Ussisonad 24 directly supports U.S. European Command’s mission of helping deter conflict, maintain peace and stability, and provide strategic depth through military operations, exercises, and security cooperation with NATO allies and partners.
