Photo By 2nd Lt. Allison Shok | Mortarmen of Troop B, 5th Squadron, 73rd Airborne Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT PICKETT, Va. -- Long hours, high winds, rain, nights spent in the low 30s, afternoons spent in the high 80s; yet none of these conditions deterred Fort Bragg soldiers from conducting technical and tactical training at the multi-purpose range complex of Fort Pickett, Va.
In the early morning hours of April 12, 2012 the Paratroopers of 5th Squadron, 73rd Airborne Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat team, 82nd Airborne Division reported to their units within two hours of notification as part of an emergency deployment readiness exercise.
More than 120 tactical vehicles carrying hundreds of Paratroopers then made the seven-hour convoy to Virginia to complete a variety of training exercises.
“The movement to Fort Pickett was a proficient way to exercise every system we, as a unit, have in place from logistics to communication,” explained Sgt. 1st Class Kevin L. Rutherford, the squadron master gunner.
Each unit within the squadron, along with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and soldiers from 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion visited Fort Pickett for training.
Once they arrived, their training began almost immediately and began to execute their specified missions in the training complex, which spans more than 40,000 square miles.
“The off-post training at Fort Pickett allowed the squadron task force to exercise multi-echelon training on several levels,“ said Maj. Robert P. Nesbit, the squadron executive officer, “once there, we were able to culminate our gunnery program with platoon live fires.”
The squadron chose to train at Fort Pickett because it gives Paratroopers the ability to focus on training without external distractions, Rutherford said. "When you make it a large event, you have more people that want to get up there and train with you and focus on what they’re supposed to be doing,” he added.
The squadron’s goal was to emulate a joint operations access exercise, which includes the expansion of battle space, Rutherford explained. The variety of ranges enabled the squadron to move freely throughout their area of operations and conducted multiple live-fire exercises.
Range 15, the multi-purpose range complex, housed the platoon-level mounted exercises. The missions consisted of full spectrum operations, which included simulated casualty evacuation training, movement to and occupation of a screen line, indirect fire, and integration unmanned aerial vehicle surveillance as the 3rd BCT Paratroopers occupied the battle space.
What makes this type of training unique is that “the platoons were able to execute their mission on an integrated level, using their individual skill sets to function as a team and be successful,” explained Rutherford.
In addition to Fort Pickett’s easily accessible range space, the base had one very unique feature in place to assist with the training process: a forward-looking infrared camera. “The FLIR Cameras on Range 15 were extremely useful,” said Rutherford. “Not just as an after action review tool, but to record exactly what is happening in a specific spot with thermal capability.” The cameras also assisted as a safety measure in addition to the observer controllers on the ground during the live fire exercises.
The squadron accomplished mortar live fires, gunnery, maintenance operations, platoon live fires and rifle qualifications during the visit, allowing their leadership to evaluate based on performance their readiness the U.S. Army’s Global Response Force.
“After finishing our rehearsals and risk mitigation measures in preparation for our redeployment, the Squadron conducted an organizational day and super supper,” said Lt. Col. Scott Naumann, the squadron commander.
“This rotation allowed us to identify where we are as a unit, where we want to go and how we will continue to get there,” said Rutherford.
| Date Taken: | 04.27.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.07.2012 10:56 |
| Story ID: | 88019 |
| Location: | FORT PICKETT, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 335 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Soldiers train at Fort Pickett, by 2LT Allison Shok, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
