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The “dog days of summer” is a common description of the hottest, most uncomfortable parts of August in Georgia, but for Raider Brigade Soldiers it was just another chance to hone their warfighting skills in a tough and realistic training environment.
Soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division conducted combined arms live fire exercises (CALFEXs) supported by artillerymen from 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment and attack aviation from 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment.
The CALFEXs are part of the Raider Brigade’s training in preparation for a rotation to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California this fall. The exercise involves attack aviation crews, combat engineers, dismounted infantry, tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle crews, heavy artillery, mortar sections and steady maintenance and logistical support.
Maj. Wade Hatzinger, the Battalion Operations Officer for 1-64 Armor, said the training was the culmination of months of training.
“All of our training from June until now prepared the companies for CALFEX, our battalion built a training plan that began with individual qualifications and then progressed to crew level gunnery and a dismounted squad live fire and Mortar Training and Evaluation Program,” said Hatzinger. “Finally, about three weeks ago our battalion conducted platoon live fires as well as maneuver Situational Training Exercise lanes to certify the platoons before the CALFEX.”
Pfc. Nicholas Segard, a tank driver from A Co, 1-64 Armor, just joined the Army last year but was going through his second CALFEX since arriving at Fort Stewart in March.
“I learned a lot,” said Segard. “Going through the CALFEX really made you feel what could happen on a battlefield.”
Segard said that in addition to continuing to develop his skills as a driver of an M1 Abrams tank, he was able to learn more in depth about his equipment and different jobs in the tank such as loader and gunner.
The Raider Brigade’s most recent deployment was in 2016 to Eastern Europe where it spent nine months in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, participating in joint exercises with NATO partner nations. The Raider Brigade is not currently on deployment orders but an expected deployment announcement this fall adds to the sense of importance of the CALFEX.
“We’re trying to replicate as realistic a training environment as possible to prepare us for NTC,” said Capt. Matthew Ropelewski, a planner at the brigade. “And what we see at NTC will prepare us for what we may see on battlefields around the world.”
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2018 11:13 |
| Story ID: | 261854 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Raider Brigade Conducts Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise, by LTC Peter Bogart, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
