Photo By Sgt. 1st Class P. Behringer | Sgt. Aaron Falk, a Jacksonville, Fla., native and cavalry scout assigned to 1st...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT HOOD, Texas – Distant popping sounds could be heard from the command tower of Jack Mountain Multiuse Range throughout the week of Aug. 26. The sight of Bradley Fighting Vehicles on the range below revealed another round of level one gunnery qualification in full swing for the 1st Squadron
"Garryowen," 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team "Ironhorse," 1st Cavalry Division.
Some Garryowen crews on the range this time around satisfied a bi-annual certification requirement, while other crews are prepared for series of upcoming missions.
This fall, more than half of the squadron is heading to countries across Europe for Atlantic Resolve and Combined Resolve III.
“We’re finishing up the rest of the Blackhawk Troop crews now to go over to Germany to do gunnery there,” said Sgt. Jason Olivar, a Garryowen cavalry scout.
Olivar, a San Jose, California, native said he’s excited for a change in scenery.
“The guys always like training, but most of them have never been to Europe or Germany,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Seann O’Brien, Garryowen’s senior noncommissioned officer. “This will be their first encounter with Germany, the cold, the different land [and] training environment, other NATO countries [and] seeing other armies.”
Compared to what he has seen in Iraq and parts of Afghanistan, Olivar said Germany is going to be a world of difference.
In the meantime, the rest of Garryowen will be on-call at Fort Hood for wildland firefighting operations. The unit was tasked to help assist during wildfire emergencies across the southwest U.S. from July through October in the event civilian and National Guard resources become exhausted.
Additionally, troopers back in Texas will be running a tactical operations center during two simultaneous training exercises in October. Simulated battle scenarios back at Fort Hood will support CBR III exercises in Germany, linking the scattered squadron across an ocean.
Although O’Brien’s troopers have a series of multi-faceted missions ahead between three countries and two continents, he is confident in his Soldiers’ abilities to succeed.
“We kind of [have] everybody spread out … but we have good first sergeants and commanders and they’re ready for the challenge,” said O’Brien, a Miami native.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2014 15:49 |
| Story ID: | 141602 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | MIAMI, FL, US |
| Hometown: | SAN JOSE, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Squadron prepares for complex missions in three countries, two continents, by SFC P. Behringer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT