Mission first, train always

Photo By Staff Sgt. Garrettgarrett Ralston | Soldiers of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, prepare their M1A2 Abrams tank to fire on the Besmaya Combat Training Center range near Baghdad, Jan. 10. The M1A2 Abrams tank, M3A3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle, and M1064A3 mortar carrier were the combat platforms trained on during the exercise that spanned four days.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

01.12.2011

Story by Staff Sgt. Garrettgarrett Ralston 

3d Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs Office

BAGHDAD -- Deployed in support of Operation New Dawn, soldiers of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment are serving in an advise and assist role to the Iraqi Security Forces. Despite this role, these “Brave Rifle” soldiers’ history is built on being a self sustained combat force.

The Regiment’s 1st Squadron, “Tiger”, is taking the opportunity to keep its fighting skills sharp by firing a gunnery exercise on Forward Operating Base Hammers’ massive Besmaya Combat Training Center range complex.

“Many of our junior soldiers have never trained on this equipment before,” said Sgt. Major Jeffrey Lujan, operations sergeant major for Tiger squadron, from Harker Heights, Texas. “This is essential training for them, and it is a good change of pace from daily missions.”

The BCTC belongs to the Iraqi army, so the squadron had to get permission to use the range. With arrangements in place, Tiger Squadron descended upon the range with Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and armored mortar carriers, to run the soldiers through the exercise.

“We are out here to do the Table Six gunnery,” said Sgt. Joseph Johnson, a native of Flomaton, Ala., and the track commander for his Bradley. “We always need to be trained up on our equipment and be ready to fight when necessary.”

This gunnery exercise requires the crews to achieve a certain score by engaging different targets with their vehicles’ weapon systems. The Bradley’s 25mm gun, the Abrams 120mm gun, and each of the vehicle’s coaxial machine guns were fired successfully, proving the crews’ abilities in combat engagements.

“I think this is a great unit and we train so that we remain a great unit,” said Pvt. Zane Clossey, a Bradley gunner, originally from Robbinston, Maine. “The training itself is a lot of work but its fun too. It’s always good to get out and shoot stuff.”

The entire exercise spans four days to allow for the equipment to be prepared, soldiers to be brought up to the range, ensure all safety measures are planned for, and finally to move onto the range and begin firing live rounds.

Despite the extensive planning and preparation needed, the soldiers of the Army’s only remaining armored cavalry regiment executed the training with precision and professionalism.

“If the equipment is here, why not train on it,” said Lujan. “This is what these soldiers signed up to do. I think we owe it to them, and to the Army, to make sure it gets done.”

• Date Taken: 01.12.2011
• Date Posted: 01.20.2011 13:08
• Story ID: 63873
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ