Centerton Native Supports Military Exercise NORTHERN VIKING in Iceland

KEFLAVÍK AIR BASE, Iceland – Hospitalman Zachary Elliott joins U.S. Sailors and Marines for U.S.-led exercise NORTHERN VIKING 2024 (NV24) in Keflavik, Iceland, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 3, 2024.

As a native of Centerton, Arkansas, Elliott is a graduate of Bentonville West High School and parents and siblings still live in the area.

Currently, Elliott is a U.S. Navy Sailor assigned to Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System Team Nine (ERSS Team 9) as a hospital corpsman and surgical technologist. His job duties range from assisting an ER physician in tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) and working with the unit’s trauma surgeon in damage control surgery.

While supporting NV24, Elliott is part of exercise activities that include participants from Denmark, France, Iceland, Norway, and Poland as well as components of Standing NATO Maritime Group One and Allied Maritime Command.

“It is an honor to be part of this exercise,” said Elliott. “I am grateful for the experience it is providing me, as well as the bonding it provides our team in order to function as a professional and precise emergency medicine and surgical unit. Expanding on my tactical combat casualty care and damage control resuscitation knowledge, has helped me become a better corpsman.”

NV24 strengthens interoperability among NATO Allies through a variety of contingency situations including humanitarian crisis response caused by a simulated volcanic eruption and other training opportunities to further enhance safety and sustainment operations, expeditionary and construction capabilities, medical responses, and search and rescue, as well as humanitarian assistance.

Through NV24, the U.S., Iceland and Allied nations are able to remain prepared if needed to execute a multi-domain command and control of joint and coalition forces in the defense of Iceland and the Sea Lines of Communication in the Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom (GIUK) gap, a vital shipping hub for commerce between North America and Europe.

Participation in multinational exercises such as NV24 enhances professional relationships and improves overall coordination for the U.S. with Allied militaries during times of crisis. It also allows U.S. servicemembers the ability to experience new cultures and visit a foreign country.

While in Iceland, Elliott said he is looking forward to exploring the area that makes this country a tourist destination for many.

“This is my first time visiting this beautiful country,” said Elliott. “I am looking forward to seeing the amazing things people have told us about, of course after our job is finished.”

Northern Viking is a biennial exercise that has been held since 1982 and is based on the provisions of the 1951 Defense Agreement between Iceland and the United States.

U.S. European Command directed and U.S. Naval Forces Europe-led, NV24 is a U.S. Sixth Fleet planned and executed Joint and Coalition live exercise. U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts a full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with Allies, in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: Centerton Native Supports Military Exercise NORTHERN VIKING in Iceland