KAJAANI, Finland –
Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen participated in the Finnish Engineer Platoon Counter-Mobility Operations 25 course Aug. 25 - 29, 2025, at the Kainuu Brigade in Kajaani, Finland. The exchange was conducted in support of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Finland have been formal partners since 2024.
The Soldiers and Airmen are assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion and the Virginia Air National Guard’s 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron, 192nd Mission Support Group, 192nd Wing.
Finland’s Pohja Engineer Battalion hosted the training, which brought together military personnel from five NATO nations alongside Virginia Army and Air National Guard members.
Over the course of the week, participants received classroom instruction and hands-on field training focused on Finnish counter-mobility practices. The culminating exercise required multinational participants to plan and execute obstacles, rotating through leadership and technical tasks to gain comprehensive experience in counter-mobility operations.
“The training gave me a better understanding of different obstacle types, the importance of placement in depth, integrating obstacles effectively and the role of counter-mobility in both offensive and defensive operations,” said the 203rd RED HORSE’s Tech Sgt. James Minor.
In addition to tactical training, Virginia Soldiers gained insight into Finnish military culture and practices, including conscription processes and the use of specialized equipment for obstacle emplacement and reconnaissance. The week concluded with a networking dinner for all participants.
“This was an outstanding experience for our Soldiers and Airmen,” said 2nd Lt. Jonathan Hernandez. “Training like this strengthens our interoperability with NATO partners. The capstone exercise demonstrated how quickly a multinational team can come together, develop a plan, and execute it successfully.”
The EPCMO25 course reflects the ongoing partnership between the Virginia National Guard and Finnish Defense Forces, building on past exchanges such as Arctic Forge, cyber defense collaboration, and marksmanship competitions. These efforts highlight the Virginia Guard’s role in strengthening partner capacity, professional development, cybersecurity, and joint readiness.