Wisconsin National Guard troops mentor Ukrainian soldiers

Capt. Aaron Baumgartner, an adviser with Task Force Juvigny, talks to his Armed Forces Ukraine partner during battalion training at the Combat Training Center-Yavoriv, Ukraine.

Col. John Oakley, commander of Task Force Juvigny, delivers a speech during the transfer of authority ceremony for Joint Multinational Training Group–Ukraine at the Combat Training Center in Yavoriv, Ukraine.

Staff Sgt. Michael Blevins, an adviser with Task Force Juvigny, greets his Armed Forces Ukraine counterparts during battalion training at the Combat Training Center–Yavoriv, Ukraine.

Wisconsin National Guard Col. John Oakley of Appleton is commander of a unit of 164 soldiers deployed to a combat training facility in western Ukraine.

Approximately 160 American soldiers with the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team headquarters company deployed to Ukraine as Task Force Juvigny and assumed responsibility of the Joint Multinational Training Group–Ukraine at the Combat Training Center.

BMP-1s from 93rd Mechanized Brigade, Armed Forces Ukraine at the Combat Training Center–Yavoriv, Ukraine.

Lt. Col. Clay Salmela, the chaplain with Task Force Juvigny, congratulates a Ukrainian soldier upon completion of initial entry training at Starychi Military Base near Combat Training Center–Yavoriv, Ukraine.

Wisconsin National Guard Maj. Rhett Zietlow of Green Bay deployed to western Ukraine to help mentor Ukrainian military trainers.

Ukrainian soldiers prepare to play a war game at a combat training center in western Ukraine. A Wisconsin National Guard unit arrived in November to mentor Ukrainian military trainers.

Ukrainian soldiers prepare to play a war game at a combat training center in western Ukraine. A Wisconsin National Guard unit arrived in November to help mentor Ukrainian military trainers.

Wisconsin National Guard Col. John Oakley, at right, watches Ukrainian soldiers prepare for a war game at a combat training center in western Ukraine. Oakley is commander of a unit of 164 Wisconsin soldiers who are mentoring Ukrainian military trainers.

Ukrainian soldiers walk past a sign in English and Ukrainian on a combat training facility in western Ukraine in February 2020. The Wisconsin National Guard mentored and trained Ukrainian military for several months beginning in 2019.

Wisconsin National Guard Maj. Orrin Viner stands outside a room where Ukrainian soldiers are engaging in a war game at a combat training facility in western Ukraine.

Signs at a combat training facility in western Ukraine are written in English and Ukrainian.

U.S. and coalition forces opened a combat training facility in western Ukraine a year after Russia invaded eastern Ukraine and annexed Crimea. A Wisconsin National Guard unit arrived in November to work as mentors to Ukrainian military trainers.

Ukrainian soldiers come to a combat training center in western Ukraine where U.S. and coalition forces are working as mentors. A Wisconsin National Guard unit arrived in November and is scheduled to stay until late summer.

A patch featuring the American and Ukrainian flags at a combat training facility in western Ukraine. U.S. and coalition forces opened the training center a year after Russia invaded Crimea in eastern Ukraine.

Wisconsin National Guard leaders meet with troops from Canada, Lithuania and Wisconsin at a combat training center in western Ukraine.

Sgt. Amanda Gorff, from Freedom, volunteered to be the suicide prevention coordinator for a Wisconsin National Guard unit deployed to Ukraine.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nathan Weier walks past a sign for Task Force Juvigny, the Wisconsin National Guard unit deployed to a combat training center in western Ukraine.

Ukrainian Army Maj. Ihor Halbfinger is working with Wisconsin National Guard troops at a combat training center in western Ukraine.

American and Ukrainan flags sit on a conference table in the office of Col. John Oakley and Command Sgt. Maj. Joel Rothbauer at a combat training facility in Ukraine. Rothbauer lives in Chippewa Falls and brought the Leinenkugel's coasters from home.

Wisconsin National Guard Lt. Col. Clay Salmela, a chaplain deployed to Ukraine, holds copies of Gideon bibles in English and Ukrainian.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nathan Weier was a heavy equipment operator helping build bases, roads and checkpoints in Iraq in 2003-04 with the Wisconsin National Guard 229th Engineer Co. He's now in Ukraine on a one-year deployment to mentor Ukrainian military trainers.

Command Sgt. Maj. Joel Rothbauer of Chippewa Falls served two tours of Iraq. He is in Ukraine with a Wisconsin National Guard unit mentoring Ukrainian military trainers.