Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Taikeila Dale | Soldiers with the 741st Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th Military Intelligence...... read more read more
FORT MEADE, Md. - In the wake of the Army Safety Stand Down day to combat the risk of suicide within the force, The 741st Military Intelligence Battalion expanded its commitment to the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program by conducting its inaugural Silent Warrior Challenge on the Oct. 1, 3 and 5.
The intent of the Silent Warrior Challenge was to solidify soldier resiliency in the physical, emotional and social pillars through mentally and physically demanding training events that developed team work, esprit de corps and unit cohesion.
Over the course of the Silent Warrior Challenge, the four companies of 741st MI BN competed in events ranging from conducting an Army warrior task/urban orienteering race, to military occupational specialty proficiency tests and Humvee pushes. The 741st proved they know there is more to being an intelligence soldier than sitting behind a computer.
"The soldiers assigned to this Battalion will leave one day and relish in the outstanding technical training that they can only get here,” said Lt. Col. Terance Huston, the battalion commander. "But there is also the expectation that America’s sons and daughters are resilient and able to endure the rigors of whatever challenges lie before them."
Day one consisted of an urban orienteering race, where soldiers had to locate various points throughout Fort Meade. Once a point was found, they were required to either conduct Army Warrior Tasks such as evaluating a casualty, performing a weapons function check or answer military/promotion board related questions.
"I really liked it," said Spc. Kristen Fisher, a soldier with the battalion’s Alpha Company. "I had to do all this stuff that would have been easy if I wasn’t running all over the place. But once the adrenaline kicks in from running, it can make focusing and remembering things that you know a little more challenging."
Day two was less physical, but no less demanding, as the soldiers had to complete four mini-situational training exercises.
The soldiers' teamwork was tested while conducting Sensitive Site Exploitation of a mock insurgent bed down location to extrapolate details of a pending attack on a forward operating base. This event required soldiers to put their analytical skills to use as they differentiated between items of intelligence value and items that were distracters. If done correctly, each team could articulate the method and time of attack and the insurgent organization responsible.
Another scenario challenged the attention to detail, memory and communication ability of 741st soldiers. Teams were divided across three observation posts where they observed a simulated ambush on a squad and embedded reporter by a red force practicing the tactics, techniques and procedures of Al Qaeda in southern Afghanistan.
The scenario culminated with an improvised explosive device strike resulting in casualties and a kidnapping. Teams then had to come together and generate SALUTE (Size, Activity, Location, Uniform, Type, and Equipment) reports describing the details of the battle field and events that unfolded before them. Simulated explosions, machine gun fire and actual high-speed getaways added to the realism.
“We worked on this [the SALUTE scenario] for about two weeks,” said Sgt. Joshua Brown of Headquarters and Headquarters Company. “We had a lot of elements incorporated into this exercise to make it as realistic as possible, given the time and resource constraints.”
Some of the other scenario’s included MOS proficiency quizzes and performing a nine-line medevac request.
While events like MOS tests might not have had the glitz and glamor of some of the other stations, it was no less important.
“This provides soldiers with an opportunity to assess themselves on where they stand,” said 1st Sgt. Angel Espada, the first sergeant for Bravo Company. “Hopefully this will serve as a wakeup call for some of the soldiers. These are a few of the things the Army is expecting you to know.”
“My favorite exercise was the [Sensitive Site Exploitation] one with the TOC,” said Spc. Rachel Smith, also from Bravo Company. “I’ve never deployed before, and doing something like this was really cool. I learned the importance of paying close attention; not only looking for the obvious, but digging deeper and finding the hidden things. I learned to think like the enemy.”
According to senior leadership, that was exactly the intent.
“Anyone can be a weatherman,” Huston said. “You just look out the window and say it’s raining. We want soldiers who can piece together information and draw intelligent assessments. That’s what we pay them to do.”
Day three concluded by living up to the “warrior” aspect of the Silent Warrior Challenge. Four teams of ten had to work together as they completed an arduous physical challenge, testing the mettle of even the most physically fit: sniper pushups, 100-yard over-unders, 300-pound team log presses, a one-mile run, carrying 500 pounds of sandbags for two miles, and a two mile Humvee push to the finish line, all while remembering items shown to each team in a memory box.
“Yeah, I’m really tired,” was all Charlie Company’s Spc. Joshua Miller could manage to say at the event’s end. “I definitely had to rely on them [fellow teammates]. Without us pushing each other, we would have failed.”
And it was teamwork, not necessarily physical training, that this event was trying to enforce.
“When we created this challenge, we wanted to make sure each portion was geared towards a different strength,” said Capt. Matt Sheftic, the commander of Alpha Company. “No one soldier will excel all of the stations. This event forces teamwork and emphasizes the total warrior concept that we’ve wanted to push throughout the week.”
While teamwork, building esprit de corps and realistic training were key components of the Silent Warrior Challenge, soldier resiliency was the primary focus.
“There are many soldiers working in sections that do not see or interact with each other,” Huston said. “This was an opportunity to bring the battalion together through some friendly competition. And competition often brings out the best in people.”
The competition definitely brought out the best of Charlie Company, the winners of the weeklong event.
“This is for you,” said their commander, Capt, Natalie O’Dea, as she held up the award; an inscribed Roman Rudis sword which will be in her company’s possession until the next Silent Warrior Challenge.
The other companies will have to wait a little while before taking revenge on Charlie. New events will be incorporated into the next challenge.
“Just as P90X is used to confuse the body and facilitate a complete workout,” Huston said, “We want to keep the soldiers guessing as far as what we’ll have next time. I have a few ideas of what we’ll do, but I’m not telling.”
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2012 17:14 |
| Story ID: | 96647 |
| Location: | FORT MEADE, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 562 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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