Photo By Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Bryson | U.S. Army Soldiers from the premier National Training Center/Fort Irwin pose with an...... read more read more
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By Elizabeth O. Bryson
Fort Irwin, Calif.— The presence of the beastly M1 Abrams (battle tank), brought in from the austere high desert training grounds of NTC, posed in front of the towering USS Battleship Iowa offered thousands of LA Fleet Week visitors a stunning visual of the awesome might of the U.S. military, as Soldiers from across the premier National Training Center and Fort Irwin joined Service Members from the Navy, Coast Guard, Air force, Space Force and Marines for the annual LA Fleet Week celebration and expo Memorial Day weekend, May 22-28, 2024, at the LA World Cruise Port Terminal, Waterfront Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro Bay, Calif.
Throughout the 4-day expo, thousands of visitors to the static display/expo site shook hands with Soldiers, shared stories, expressed support, and posed for photos with NTC/Fort Irwin personnel and equipment, granting our Soldiers instant celebrity status.
Troopers from 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), displayed the M1 Abrams, “Helldiver,” while crews from the 2916th Bn, 916th Support Brigade gave eager guests tours of the UH60 Blackhawk (helicopter).
Fort Irwin Garrison Military Police from the Fort Irwin Garrison Military Police Dept. shared equipment such as bullet protection vests and a squad vehicle, and Soldiers from the 916th Support Bde. introduced visitors to the Mine Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicle, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the HMMWV M1152 Expanded Capacity Vehicle, used by mechanics as a contact truck for mobile repairs.
Soldiers from the 759th Ordnance Company-Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), 3rd EOD Bn., 71st EOD Group, navigated a bomb disposal robot through the crowd, showed off various explosive devices and displayed a bomb suit, while Special Forces personnel from Burro Team, Operations Group, NTC, explained their mission, and the Army’s off-road tactical vehicles and other equipment from behind camouflage netting.
On day two of the event, one sgt.1st class, 759th Ordnance Company-EOD, 3rd EOD Bn., 71st EOD Group, NCOIC, said he was getting “fully into the spirit” of the event, as he donned the heavy EOD bomb suit.
“It’s a little hot out here, but it’s about all these people here supporting us,” said the NCOIC, flashing a smile,” as he explained the equipment he was wearing to a curious crowd.
“Everyone is having a lot of fun. This is a great chance to show the public what we do.”
Fort Irwin Soldiers also shared their expertise with thousands of viewers live on television, as they conducted interviews and toured the display area with local news reporters from KTLA, Channel 4, Voice of America, and Social Media influencers.
Sgt. First Class Serio, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), tank crew leader, spent most of his time (when not giving interviews) shaking hands and helping members of the public– and curious Marines, Coastguardsmen and Sailors– climb up a ladder and onto the Helldiver for a photo and a brief tour, while his crew fastened kevlar helmets on waiting children and took cell phone photos for groups and families.
Serio said the experience was a little overwhelming, but he was proud and humbled by the support the crowds expressed for his tank crew– and the long wait they were willing to endure to get their chance to take a closer look at a "real-live tank.”
“It’s about them,” Serio said, wiping sweat from his brow as the sun beat down on his perch atop the Helldiver. “Many of these people may never get this experience again and they are really excited… I want everyone to get their chance.”
“Flavor Friends'' duo Staff Sgt. Travis Russell, “Spoon” platoon, Regimental Support Squadron (RSS), 11th ACR, lead cook, and assistant, Spec. Stephen Gobin, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT), 2nd Squadron, 11th ACR, cook, competed in a televised edition of (Fox) Galley Wars against representatives from other service branches, where they offered up a tasty combo of fresh-seared tuna and rosemary risotto, which got rave reviews from local celebrity chefs judging the event, resulting in a roar of applause from Army Soldiers and veterans in the audience.
A dodgeball team from 11th ACR, fresh off wins at the NTC Desert Warrior Week competition, “threw down’ with competing Service Members from the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard and, ultimately, earned the Fleet Week championship title– which came with a large, gold trophy and bragging rights, on Sunday, May 26, 2024.
Nearby Soldiers and white-suited Sailors applauded the Army’s win of the final hard-fought dodgeball match in the spirit of Fleet Week, which brought together all branches with friendly competition, shared knowledge, and camaraderie.
LA Fleet Week is a multi-day celebration of the nation’s Sea Services featuring military equipment and vehicle displays and tours, live entertainment, neighborhood engagements, welcome parties, aircraft flyovers, military band performances across LA, and competitions between the service branches including dodgeball, Military Has Talent and Galley Wars– a culinary cook-off competition; over 2,000 military personnel participated this year and over a hundred thousand guests attended, according to event planners.
The premier National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., offers tours of the premier National Training Center (NTC) throughout the year where visitors can experience firsthand how America’s warriors prepare for deployment by being immersed in a challenging and austere training environment where they encounter civilians on the battlefield, irregular and regular forces, challenging tactical, logistic and strategic problems, and some of the most technologically advanced and elaborate training facilities in the world.
For more information on NTC/Fort Irwin tours, visit https://home.army.mil/irwin/about/visitor-information/ntc-tours or follow us on social media www.facebook/FTirwin/ or www.instagram.com/ftirwin_update …we hope to see you soon!
| Date Taken: | 05.27.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.05.2024 13:21 |
| Story ID: | 473122 |
| Location: | FORT IRWIN, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 220 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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