18th Eng. Bde. Soldiers conduct MOUT training

Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Justin Palmer, a combat engineer with the 18th Engineer Brigade and a native of Fayetteville, N.C., provides security as other soldiers perform first aid on a casualty during Military Operations on Urban Terrain training in Grafenwoehr, Germany.  

GRAFENWOEHR, GERMANY

11.23.2010

Story by Aislinn Amig 

21st Theater Sustainment Command

By Spc. Aislinn Amig
18th Eng. Bde. Public Affairs

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 18th Engineer Brigade, trained on Military Operations on Urban Terrain from Sept. 27 to Oct. 1 and again Nov. 1-12 at the MOUT site here.

Members of the 18th Eng. Bde. combat security team focused on dismount procedures during the training and further sharpened their skills in first aid, radio communications and room clearing techniques.

Spc. Michael Wilson, a bridge crew member with the 18th Eng. Bde. and a native of Pocatello, Idaho, said during some of the training scenarios vehicles were inoperable and “we learned how we needed to react and work through it.”

“Having the Ultimate Training Munitions rounds provided the most realistic training that we have experienced during training missions,” said Pfc. Ethan King, an 18th Eng. Bde. combat engineer from Fayetteville, N.C.

The UTM are paint-filled 5.56 rounds that resemble live ammunition with reliability and accuracy in order to give soldiers a better understanding of getting shot at.

The team also used smoke grenades to simulate a realistic combat environment.

“Being able to practice proper placement and throwing of the smoke grenades was something not many of us were familiar with, and this gave us a chance to develop those skills,” said Wilson.

The soldiers were also given the opportunity to play the opposing force at several points throughout the exercise.

“We got to see what it would look like through the enemy’s eyes, so we could learn from that the next time we were going through the training ourselves,” said Pfc. Eric Goldenthal, an 18th Eng. Bde. combat engineer from Baltimore.

The training gave the soldiers a better idea of what they will encounter in a deployed environment.

• Date Taken: 11.23.2010
• Date Posted: 11.23.2010 10:00
• Story ID: 60714
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, DE