Vanguard’s Task Force China help welcome new West Point cadets

Courtesy Photo | Soldiers with Battery B, 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Fort Stewart, Ga., talk about the M119 howitzer with the family members of incoming cadets during Reception Day, July 2, 2014, at West Point, N.Y. R-Day is the report day for all incoming freshmen cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Nicholas Richardson, 3-15 Inf. Regt, 4IBCT, 3rd ID)  

WEST POINT, NY, UNITED STATES

07.18.2014

Courtesy Story

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Task Force China, comprised of soldiers from 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, had the opportunity to show-off their military equipment for families of West Point cadets during the United States Military Academy’s Reception Day, or R-Day, July 2.

R-Day is the day for all incoming freshmen cadets to arrive on campus and begin their path towards a commission in the United States Army. It is a bittersweet day for most families as they say their goodbyes to their young cadets and watch them embark on their journey at the academy.

The soldiers from Task Force China were part of this tradition as they set up a static display for the families and cadets during the event.

“Being a part of this day gave me a new perspective on the commitment these cadets are making,” said Sgt. Jonathan Taylor, a signal support systems specialist and native of Grove Town, Georgia. “It reminds me of when I said goodbye to my parents before basic combat training.”

Eager to learn as much about the prospective career of their loved ones, families flocked to Daly Field to view the displays and get hands on experience with the equipment.

The displays included medical, transportation, and communication equipment; howitzers, mortars, and a small arms display which included a set of body armor for the families to try on. There was even a UH-72 Lakota helicopter on display from a local aviation unit. This array of equipment gave the families a good idea of just how many doors are open to the new cadets in their future.

“The families were really curious about what their cadets might be working with,” said Spc. Christopher Suman, an infantryman and a native of Tucson, Arizona. “So we tried to show them as much as we could.”

Despite the heat and humidity, parents were eager to learn all about the weapon systems and equipment. Some even went as far as to try on body armor and practice carrying an M240B machine gun.
While R-Day was all about the cadets, the soldiers of Task Force China showed their support, as family members saw some of the new life their cadets were ready to initiate.

• Date Taken: 07.18.2014
• Date Posted: 08.08.2014 11:19
• Story ID: 138719
• Location: WEST POINT, NY, US