Individual Readiness Training prepares 3rd Sustainment Brigade soldiers for deployment

Photo By Kiera Anderson | First Lt. Derrick Smith and Sgt. Dominic Mason, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, prepare to maneuver their squad through the improvised explosive device training lane at Evans Army Airfield, Fort Stewart, Ga. The exercise was part of the 3rd Sustainment Brigade’s Individual Readiness Training and preparation for an upcoming deployment.  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

09.21.2012

Story by Sgt. Kiera Anderson 

3rd Division Sustainment Brigade

FORT STEWART, Ga. — Third Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division soldiers have spent the last few weeks filtering through Individual Readiness Training at Fort Stewart, Ga., in preparation for their upcoming deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The training, which is completed after seven days, is a combination of classroom instruction and practical field exercises that culminate in a full understanding of the potential conditions in a combat environment and how to meet them competently.

Despite deployments being commonplace in today’s Army, many of the "Providers" are going through IRT for the first time, showing that the Army’s effort to make sure no Soldier gets left behind when it comes to proper preparation is indeed taking hold.

First Lt. Nicholas Amuna, a platoon leader for 473rd Quartermaster Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, who was in charge of planning and executing IRT for the brigade, said that not only is the training multifaceted, it is efficient.

Approximately 60 soldiers are trained during each IRT-iteration, where skill sets like reacting to contact from improvised explosive devices and properly executing an operations order are the tasks of the day.

“All of the groups have embraced the [operations] order format,” said Amuna. “They’re excelling in the training and everything is going according to plan.”

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Carson, a communications specialist with STB and a first time IRT attendee, agreed that the classroom and field training accomplished its goal. He said he appreciated both facets of the training equally, especially the improvised explosive device instruction.

Soldiers like Sgt. 1st Class Carson show that 3rd Sustainment Brigade is committed to the Army’s approach to in-depth training and the "Providers" are navigating it successfully. The brigade’s desired end result is a cohesive unit of confident soldiers prepared for every eventuality during the length of their upcoming deployment.

• Date Taken: 09.21.2012
• Date Posted: 09.24.2012 17:56
• Story ID: 95222
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US