‘Roughrider’ Conducts Annual Training

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro Sias | Sgt. George Tomadakis, 3rd Battalion, 360th Combat Support Regiment, “Roughrider,” 5th Armored Brigade, took aim and engaged his target from the off-hand/standing position at McGregor Range, N.M., as Omega staff instructor Robert Serrano, supporting the 2nd Battalion, 361st Combat Support Regiment, “Coyote,” 5th Armored Brigade, looks on to assist during the U.S. Army Reserve unit’s annual training July 16.  

MCGREGOR RANGE, NM, UNITED STATES

07.16.2011

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro Sias 

5th Armored Brigade

McGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – Each year, the Army Reserve conducts Annual Training and Warrior Citizens from across the country, such as school teachers, police officers, firefighters and electricians come together. For 3rd Battalion, 360th Combat Support Regiment, “Roughrider,” 5th Armored Brigade, it is no different, as they conducted training here, June 16-23.

The “Roughrider” Battalion from Salt Lake City, Utah, with a detachment in Idaho, trained on Army Warrior Tasks and battle drills, working closely with the 2nd Battalion, 361st Regiment, “Coyote” to prepare for a partial or full unit mobilization in early 2012 where they will work as trainers preparing joint war fighters for deployments to combat zones.

“(We are performing a) left seat (ride), right seat (ride), with “Coyote,” training up on 23 different lanes of responsibility,” said Sgt. 1st Class James Riddle, “Roughrider,” operations non- commissioned officer-in-charge, referring to working side-by-side with “Coyote” while they train service members.

“Roughrider” was last mobilized from 2009 - 2010 here. Additional individual training events during this two-week AT period included Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected vehicle familiarization training, rifle, pistol and shotgun marksmanship.

“I’ve been in since 1988, had a break in service and I came back in 2006 and I’m ready (for mobilization),” said Sgt. George Tomadakis, “Roughrider” an electrician who qualified on the shotgun range, firing in the off-hand standing position and in the kneeling position. “I have never deployed before and all the talk has been about a possible mobilization.”

“Our soldiers have also gotten in some good drive time on the MRAP vehicles,” added Riddle, a native of Salt Lake City.
If mobilized, “Roughrider” will teach an MRAP course where service members will get licensed and “Roughrider” will perform as observer trainer/controllers on training lanes ranging from Combat Life Saver to combatives.

The leadership of the “Roughrider” Battalion has placed an emphasis on its Soldiers to be ready, and Riddle, Tomadakis and the rest of the battalion have embraced readiness during AT.

• Date Taken: 07.16.2011
• Date Posted: 07.26.2011 11:26
• Story ID: 74335
• Location: MCGREGOR RANGE, NM, US