Photo By Pfc. Susan Blair | Paratroopers from the 407th Brigade Support Battalion patrol a a street druing a...... read more read more
Pfc. Susie A. Blair
2nd BCT, Public Affairs
FORT BRAGG, NC- "Mouse hole," warned the Paratrooper pointing out a hole in a building where a possible sniper could be hidden. As he said that, a shot was fired.
"Did anyone see where the shot came from?" asked a Paratrooper from the 407th Brigade Support Battalion.
"It came from the top window!" yelled another Paratrooper.
As the paratroopers were getting ready to enter the building a Marine acting as the opposition force ran out, screaming in their faces. Although the 407th BSB Paratroopers had only trained for two days, they expertly navigated through their Military Operations in Urban Terrain drills.
"We learned how to get past the psychological games," said Pfc. Siobahan Eastman of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 407th BSB, "Before we would've just charged the room but with the OPFOR screaming and yelling at us we were set back at first. It taught us other stuff to watch out for, things that we might not have necessarily thought about before."
From Mar. 26- Mar 31 the 407th BSB went to Camp Lejeune to attend the Basic Urban Skills Training Course. The five-day training event is taught by Marines and focuses on movement, assaulting and patrolling techniques.
Throughout the week Paratroopers went through a series of classes. The classes taught them the basics of room clearing, forcible entry techniques, how to climb through windows, climb over walls, and clearing rooms at night. The Paratroopers also learned about snipers and cordon and knock searches (gaining information about the house and occupant).
On the first two days of classes the paratroopers did dry runs of room clearing and went through different scenarios for room clearing at night. The next day the Paratroopers went live with simunition rounds. The final day was a day devoted to Convoy Operations with simunition rounds.
Simunition rounds are small bullets with water-soluble paint inside the plastic tip. The rounds are useful because they allow Paratroopers and instructors to see who has been hit.
Lt. Col. William Hughes, Commander, 407th BSB, 2nd BCT believes training with simunition rounds is a useful tool.
"If a simunition round hits a Paratrooper he's going to feel it," Hughes said.
Aside from training with simunition rounds, the training exercise in general is very useful, said Hughes. He believes it is important for younger Paratroopers to know the skills that are required to fill leadership roles while in combat.
Although the 407th BSB is made up of medics, supply specialists and transporters, Maj. Shawn Ransford, 407th BSB, 2nd BCT, believes that with increasing deployments, these military occupational specialties should become more proficient in specialized infantry skills.
"The infantry will come through and clear out a village. The 407th won't come through the village for a couple days after, and unless the infantry leaves a company behind to maintain security, the 407th might have to re-clear elements of the village to make sure it's safe," Ransford said.
As Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division continue to deploy in support of the Global War on Terror, 407th BSB Paratroopers are finding unique ways to develop the tactical leadership skills to survive and win in combat.
| Date Taken: | 04.05.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 04.05.2006 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 5957 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 13 |
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