HHC, 21st TSC hosts first semiannual training stand-down week

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Alexander Burnett | Soldiers assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command take aim at paper with their M16A2 rifles during a weapons qualification at the 7th Army Training Command Breitenwald Range, April 17. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Alexander Burnett, 21st TSC Public Affairs)  

BW, GERMANY

04.23.2013

Story by Staff Sgt. Alexander Burnett 

21st Theater Sustainment Command

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s 21st Special Troops Battalion completed most of the Army’s annual mandatory training requirements with a training stand-down week, April 15 through 19.

“Making this a reality required an abundance of coordination between local organizations, tenant units and U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern. The garrison and its organizations provided a lot of the classes we needed,” said Master Sgt. Kory Ysen, the 21st STB operations noncommissioned officer and a native of Fort Knox, Ky. “By conducting this stand-down week we improved the overall readiness of the 21st TSC.”

Command soldiers worked diligently throughout the week to provide opportunities to every member of the ‘First in Support’ command to complete the requirements.

The battalion offered Army physical fitness tests twice daily on Rhine Ordnance Barracks, to accommodate any schedule. Immediately after completing the APFT, soldiers conducted height and weight screenings and personnel asset inventory.

“The training week was done in a very effective manner,” said Sgt. 1st Class Ivan Narvaez, the construction operations NCO for the 21st TSC and a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. “By offering the APFT and training every day, no matter what the soldier’s schedule was they were able to complete every task.”

The training week included daily classroom briefings running from 7 a.m. through 4 p.m. either at the Galaxy Theater on the Vogelweh Military Complex or the Daenner Chapel on Daenner Kaserne.

Classes were taught by subject-matter-experts in sexual harassment assault response and prevention, child abuse and family advocacy, Army substance abuse program, resiliency, law of war, suicide prevention, force protection, fraternization and equal opportunity.

Soldiers were able to conduct their weapons qualification on the M-16A2 rifle or M9 pistol every day at the 7th Army Training Command’s Breitenwald Range, near Landstuhl. Every firer went through the zero process to align their sites properly and a qualification range on paper targets.

Only meters away from the weapons ranges was the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear chamber. Soldiers received instruction on the proper wear of their Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear and their protective masks. After the class, physically capable soldiers were required to enter the chamber.

“By making soldiers run through the chamber it instills confidence in their equipment while simulating what it might be like to operate in a contaminated environment,” said Sgt. 1st Class Daryle Rogers, the CBRN operations NCO for the 21st TSC and a native of Waynesville, Mo. “This whole week has been a great experience I think. It allowed everyone to complete their required training in an effective and time efficient manner.”

• Date Taken: 04.23.2013
• Date Posted: 04.23.2013 05:43
• Story ID: 105657
• Location: BW, DE
• Hometown: BAYAMON, PR
• Hometown: FORT KNOX, KY, US
• Hometown: IRON RIVER, MI, US
• Hometown: WAUKEGAN, IL, US
• Hometown: WAYNESVILLE, MO, US