FORT MCCOY, Wis. - More than four-hundred Army Reserve Soldiers from the 415th Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Brigade made their way to Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin to participate in the Red Dragon 14, where they trained and qualified on CBRN operations. This exercise enabled the battalions to complete and improve their CBRN and deployment readiness status, and it brought together at one training sight a normally dispersed brigade.
With companies located as far apart as Bell, Calif., to Orlando, the Soldiers rarely interacted with other Soldiers in other companies in battalion, let alone the rest of the brigade. Red Dragon 14 served as an annual two-week training for the 415th with a concentrated three-day qualification phase. They ran through exercises in decontamination, recontamination, and biological identification and detection. Although this is the primary job for most of these troops, annual training exercises like Red Dragon provide the rare opportunity for them to get intensive training on these maneuvers, which the Soldiers do not take for granted.
"We don't get these kind of environments at home so I just want to take advantage of that," said 1st Lt. Joshua Donaldson, a native of Birmingham, Alabama with the 318th Chemical Company. "And we have got a wealth of knowledge from our OC (observer/controller)."
While the Soldiers performed their activities, the OC's from the 75th Training Brigade evaluated them, and pointed to their areas weaknesses as well as their strengths. Most of the Soldiers said the evaluation was something they really appreciated.
"The first few days we weren't being watched, so now we are actually being told that we're doing a good job," said Spc. Preston Washington, a chemical specialist with the 370th Chemical Company from Norman, Okla. "To be told that we're doing well in our training, that's probably the best thing so far."
The positive reinforcement for the chemical specialists of the 415th didn't just keep the morale up for the training, it also awakened a hunger in some of the young troops for more knowledge.
"On breaks, they were asking questions," said an impressed Staff Sgt. Christina Addair, a chemical specialist also with the 370th Chem. Co. and a Fort Worth, Texas native. "They want to know more map reading, what would I do if we got attacked, that kind of stuff, so it's good.
"We have a PV2 who this is his first AT, and he is already asking what classes he can take when we gets back," Addair continued. "So this is a very motivating experience for him."
The annual training started with the 415th moving out to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Liberty and getting basic soldier skill training like map reading, compass reading, and a confidence course. Since these companies are spread out when at home station, the opportunity to train together like created a new atmosphere. Activities like the confidence course and living on a FOB helped to break the ice of unfamiliarity.
"It’s always a bonding force," explained Washington. "It's always good times, the laughs, making the best out of not necessarily the worst situation, but we are all out of our homes. Whenever we are together training normally, it's only for two days so we're friends outside, but we don't' get to know each other very well until we lived together for two weeks. I think it's a very good bonding experience."
Living on the FOB was a new experience for quite a few of the Soldiers, but they took it in stride and learned to enjoy it.
"It feels like a real environment and like we are doing something really military," gushed Washington. "Waking up when it's dark, the port-a-potties, and the whole environment is fun."
While there was plenty of fun shared during training and back on the FOB, the Soldiers stayed focused on the mission, which was to train on CBRN techniques and be prepared for anything, knowing that their training and skills are critical to keeping the country safe.
"Well, say for instance in Syria they are doing a lot of chemical stuff," explained Staff Sgt. Anne Carrier, a native of Fort Worth, Texas with the 370th Chem. Company. "If they come over here, or we have to go over there, the U.S. would need us."
That task may seem daunting to some people, but according to Carrier, for the Soldiers of the 415th CBRN Bde., it's what they look forward to during this type of training.
"We chemical Soldiers, we eat this stuff for breakfast."
| Date Taken: | 08.18.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2014 12:07 |
| Story ID: | 139939 |
| Location: | FT MCCOY, WI, US |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Red Dragon 2014, by SSG Peter Ford, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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