Photo By Staff Sgt. Adeline Witherspoon | a U.S. Army Soldier, assigned to Multinational Battle Group-East’s Forward Command...... read more read more
Subscribe
GRACANICA, Kosovo—Cavalry Scouts, assigned to Multinational Battle Group-East’s Forward Command Post, land via UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter near the abandoned village of Gracanica, Kosovo, May 10. Moving in a ribbon of browns and greens, the Soldiers push forward across dirts roads and through pastures, crushing clumps of sweet-smelling grass beneath their boots.
This training is the bread-and-butter of cavalry scouts. For the past two days they have sweated, climbed, and hiked down muddy cow paths, and forests dense with undergrowth, their faces dark with paint and slick with sweat.
“We gain and maintain contact,” said Lt. Col. Scott Virgil, commander of MNBG-East’s FCP. “We provide information. What we ultimately do is we provide options to the higher element—the brigade commander—so that he can shape his decisions.”
The platoons were tasked with conducting reconnaissance of an objective rally point, in this case a simulated anti-aircraft weapons system constructed from cardboard and camouflage netting. Once the objective had been observed, the platoon leader had to make a calculated decision on how, and with what weapons system, with which to engage and subdue the target.
“The platoon showed a deliberate dismounted reconnaissance, and good use of cover and concealment,” said Virgil. “That’s one of the things we’ve been emphasizing with them, is to avoid the various forms of detection to include audio and visual detection, both from potential competitors, as well as drones overhead.”
The Soldiers move towards the abandoned village, each man doing his best to maintain the interval between his fellow Soldier. Their boots slip on slick, rotten leaves, finding little purchase on the often-uphill trek towards the objective. They must maintain the element of surprise, so roads and open ground are not an option.
“Kosovo provides a decent amount of terrain that we don’t see at a lot of other posts within the United States,” said Virgil. “The foliage, the terrain within the trees, the shrubbery is very difficult. They [the Soldiers] discovered how they can use it for either overhead cover or concealment. You need to move fast and sometimes you have to move slow. So this specific area provided that level of experience to the platoons.”
When they reach the empty village—consisting of a few provincial farm houses and vehicles long-ago given over to rust—the action happens in moments. The Soldiers swarm from between the trees, the only sound heard is a soft and urgent ‘go, go, go’ followed by a firm ‘clear,’ as each building is methodically searched.
“We conducted reconnaissance on objective badger, looking for antiaircraft guns so the brigade can do an air assault after we complete our mission,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Vidal Rivera, a platoon sergeant assigned to MNBG-East’s FCP. “We’re used to operating as a section and now we operate as a platoon. We did better when we split and started working as a section again.”
During the final stages of the training, the Soldiers radio for a medevac, then maneuver rapidly towards the designated helicopter landing zone. Two Soldiers half-drag their wounded brethren, his arms slung about their necks in a two-man carry. Their feet sinking in the mud from the weight they bear. The simulated casualty provides valuable training in medevac procedures for both the platoon and the flight crew from MNBG-East’s Southern Command Post who answer the call.
“They need to remember to maintain physical fitness because the terrain is hard, and the job is hard, so you got to be ready when you get the mission,” said Rivera. “You got to be ready for anything.”
Just as the last wisp of rose-colored smoke—used to signal their location—is carried off by a stray breeze, the helicopter bears down on waiting Soldiers. Hovering above the ground, the aircraft catches those below it in gusts of wind that ricochets off the earth. For a few moments, all sound is carried away, far into the mountains, and the communication is the exaggerated gesturing of the flight medic indicating that he and his patient are secured to the the hoist. The aircraft and its crew disappear into the distance, and the natural sounds of a spring afternoon come creeping back.
“We need to be able to fight in all those stages,” said Virgil. “We have to be able to do the peacekeeping and support missions, and we also need to be able to maintain and enhance our combat readiness, and that can only be done through training like this.”
The Soldiers look around at one another in a satisfied state of joyous exhaustion. There is something gratifying about the bone-heavy weariness that accompanies a long day of training, especially for cavalry scouts, who thrive on the aching muscles that come from carrying a rifle through the woods, and the slow-drip of grease paint into their collars. Because this is the way ground will always be gained: man by man, footstep by footstep.
| Date Taken: | 05.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2017 11:52 |
| Story ID: | 233775 |
| Location: | ZZ |
| Web Views: | 155 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Cavalry Scouts Conduct Training in Gracanica, by SSG Adeline Witherspoon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
