Scheduled NATO Exercise comes at interesting time. Photo by Spc. Tyler Kingsbury

A U.S. Army Stryker armored vehicle of Pale Horse Troop, 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment provides security while conducting an overwatch during exercise Allied Spirit at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, Jan. 25, 2015. Exercise Allied Spirit includes more than 2,000 participants from Canada, Hungary, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the U.S. Allied Spirit is exercising tactical interoperability and testing secure communications within alliance members

Exercise Allied Spirit was scheduled well in advance of current events in Europe but it comes at an interesting time.

According to the Army's Green Book it was to host approx 3000 soldiers with 22 participating nations.  They might have hit that mark but aren't releasing all the names of the nations attending for .... diplomatic....reasons.

Russia's response to this exercise, the stationing of a US Army Heavy Brigade near their border and US attempts to woo India into our circle should be a point of interest for anyone covering military affairs.

What's that old saying about not poking the bear?