Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Harper | A smiling Lauren Schoener takes cover in a humvee from the frigid rain and cold...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Panther Recon, as the 5th Squadron, 73rd ACR scouts are known, invited their spouses and some honored guests from around the division to participate in a rough and tough Jayne Wayne Day Nov. 4.
Some came wearing combat boots, some in their husband’s uniform, a few even donned camouflage painted war faces. Their mission was to stand in their husband’s boots for a day of training by the spur-wearing Paratroopers of 5th Squadron, 73rd Airborne Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Panther Recon, as the 5th Squadron, 73rd ACR scouts are known, invited their spouses and some honored guests from around the division to participate in a rough and tough Jayne Wayne Day Nov. 4.
“I just wanted to see what he does all day,” said Kari Davis, wife of Troop B scout Spc. Corley Davis.
The participants, nearly 50 spouses and squadron special guests, got to do more than just see what their Paratrooper husbands do all day.
The women were broken down into three groups and assigned ‘Walkers’, or platoon guides. Little time was wasted as the Walkers introduced the women to basics such as standing in formation, marching, and calling cadence.
Despite rapidly cooling temperatures and frigid rain, the groups laughed, smiled, and marched in step as they rotated through the day’s planned events.
The 34-foot Tower at the Advanced Airborne School here was to be a feature event, however due to weather and safety concerns the tower could not be used.
The squadron reacted quickly; utilizing the AAS they rigged the ladies with parachute harnesses complete with reserves and rucksacks. Smiles were wide as one participant, a squadron volunteer, mistakenly activated her reserve parachute.
“I was really looking forward to the 34-foot jump tower, but had a blast doing the other events,” said Christina Gregory, wife of Capt. Bobby Gregory, the Troop B commander with Panther Recon.
Other events included the crowd pleasing, and indoor, Reconfigurable Virtual Tactical Trainer where the groups got to shoot, move, and communicate on a virtual reality battlefield. As a squad, they operated a scale-model Humvee through a simulated hostile urban environment. Surrounded by massive screens they found themselves in a 360-degree encounter.
Also popular, and indoors, was the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000. The EST2000 allows participants to engage moving targets in various configurations and scenarios on a screen by using real weapon systems attached to compressed air hoses and computers.
“I like shooting, it was fun. I probably didn’t hit anything, but I aimed at stuff and they went down,” said Sharon Reed, a squadron guest and wife of 82nd Airborne Division chief of staff Col. Karl Reed.
In addition to the EST2000 and RVTT, the Cavalry Scouts demonstrated various capabilities through an interactive static display and a mystery lane, which turned out to be a medical lane, where the ladies learned combat life-saving techniques from squadron medics.
Squadron commander Lt. Col. Brian Flood told the ladies, “Today is about teamwork, having fun, and building relationships.”
These are the ladies who will be taking care of things if and when their husbands deploy, and it benefits everyone if they’ve had a chance to get to know each other and have shared experiences, said Flood.
Flood and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Ochsner presented the ladies with yellow garters steeped in Cavalry history for virtue and love and official awards of appreciation for their participation in the event.
“I think everyone had a great time, I know we did,” said Coleen Flood, the squadron commander’s wife and Family Readiness Group squadron adviser. “It’s just great to see everyone smiling and having such a great time.”
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2011 13:11 |
| Story ID: | 80226 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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