504th Signal Soldiers stay on their toes

Photo By 1st Lt. Hannah Morgan | Soldiers from 504th Brigade Signal Company engage targets on the move during weapons familiarization at the company field training exercise. (Courtesy photo)  

BAUMHOLDER, GERMANY

09.09.2015

Courtesy Story

16th Sustainment Brigade

By 2nd Lt. D’Andre Burdin
504th Brigade Signal Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade

BAUMHOLDER, Germany – Soldiers of the 504th Brigade Signal Company, Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade prepared for their upcoming field training exercise by using the advanced weapons training in the new Baumholder Military Community Gunfighter Gymnasium Aug. 26.

The Gunfighter Gymnasium is a tool designed to enhance understanding of shooter mechanics, target acquisition and reaction time through a state of the art simulations.

The company began with physical readiness training at the Gunfighter Gymnasium, led by the gym staff. During the session, Soldiers faced a variety of scenarios including threat and non-threat recognition, shooter mechanics, ocular capability and reaction time. Before and after each scenario, Soldiers completed several physical exercises, increasing the stress level when the Soldiers entered the scenario.

“It’s nice to have a change of scenery and change of pace from normal physical readiness training schedule,” said Spc. Shakenia Johnson. “I’ve never experienced anything like this, and I really enjoyed incorporating fitness with advanced marksmanship scenarios.”

After physical training was complete, the 504th BSC Soldiers immediately went into preliminary marksmanship instruction. At the Gunfighter Gymnasium, this included weapons familiarization and an M4 range zero and qualification simulation.

During the following week, 504th BSC went on to conduct a field training exercise centering on weapons qualification and small unit tactics such as patrolling.

“This training offered invaluable training at the team-level to develop tactical standard operating procedures, dismounted tactics, techniques and procedures, as well as building camaraderie,” said 2nd Lt. Timothy Roberts, a platoon leader with 504th BSC.

The company-level field training exercise, in conjunction with the 16th Special Troops Battalion weapons qualification range, intended to escalate Soldiers comprehension in warrior tasks and battle drills, as well as to validate mission command and self-sustainment operations in austere environments.

• Date Taken: 09.09.2015
• Date Posted: 10.08.2015 10:34
• Story ID: 178453
• Location: BAUMHOLDER, DE