South Carolina Army National Guard engineers practice their bridge building skills

Photo By 1st Lt. Tracci Dorgan | Engineers from the South Carolina Army National Guard's 125th Multi Roll Bridge Company train on their new bridging equipment during annual training at Clarks Hill Training Center in Plum Brance, S.C. June 11-15, 2012.  

PLUMB BRANCH, SC, UNITED STATES

08.24.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. Tracci Dorgan 

South Carolina National Guard

PLUMB BRANCH, S.C. -- Engineers with the South Carolina Army National Guard’s 125th Multi-Role Bridge Company (MRBC) received valuable training on their new bridging equipment during annual training exercises held at the Clarks Hill Training Center in Plum Branch, S.C., June 11 - 15, and Aug. 20-24, 2012.

The 125th MRBC, currently located in Abbeville, S.C., is part of the 122nd Engineer Battalion. 1st Lt. Charles Langston, company operations officer said, “We are the only bridge building company in the state, formed in October 2010. We have been receiving new equipment and training our soldiers preparing for this exercise since then.”

More than 30 soldiers went to Clarks Hill to work with bridging experts and practice the skills they have learned in the past year and a half. “We were able to work closely with a sister bridging unit from North Dakota, whose experienced bridge crew members have shared their expertise and stories,” said 1st Lt. Alex White, officer-in-charge of the exercise.

“The biggest thing we are working on during these exercises is cross training. It is very important for every bridge crew member to know how to launch and recover the bridge,” White continued.

“Once a bridge is put together it is then a fully operational raft,” said Cadet Keenan Tallent, a member of the 125th MRBC. “During the first exercise, we constructed a raft that allowed us to move vehicles and equipment across a large span of water. That was the first time we worked together as a unit to build a raft. There are a lot of moving parts involved so we really had to work together as a team to get it done.”

“Everyone has had a great attitude and the cross training is going very well,” added White.

During the second exercise, soldiers were able to focus more on how the raft worked, while their first exercise was focused on boat operations and learning how to maneuver the raft.

As part of the second exercise, the engineers drove a common bridge transporter (CBT) on to the bridge as a way to show the capabilities of the bridge and put all the training together. The CBT is a heavy expanded mobility tactical truck that transports the boats and bridging sections from the armory to the water.

Tallent said, “Putting the CBT on the raft gave the boat operators training on maneuvering the raft with a load. These have been great training exercises; we became more proficient in the operations of the equipment from the first training to the second.”

“We are excited about this new equipment because it gives us more opportunity to help out communities in South Carolina during hurricanes or other natural disasters that may involve water and floods,” said White.

• Date Taken: 08.24.2012
• Date Posted: 09.12.2012 14:14
• Story ID: 94592
• Location: PLUMB BRANCH, SC, US