3rd ID infantrymen build team during Vanguard Focus

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor | An infantryman from 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, left, provides security as a forward observer from 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division Artillery, establishes targets during Vanguard Focus, a brigade level training exercise, Feb. 15, 2015, on Fort Stewart, Ga. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Elvis Umanzor, 4IBCT, 3ID, Public Affairs)  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

02.15.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Elvis Umanzor 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

FORT STEWART, Ga. – Team building is essential to the U.S. Army and building a cohesive infantry unit was even more important for Capt. Jason Anderson, commander of Company B, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, as he led his company into Vanguard Focus, Feb. 11, 2015, on Fort Stewart, Georgia.

The 4th IBCT’s three-month field training exercise, Vanguard Focus, is aimed to validate the brigade’s combat capabilities and mission readiness to fight and win anywhere as they prepare for a scheduled rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

“This will mirror about as close as we can to a JRTC rotation,” said Anderson, a native of Plainfield, Illinois. “We’ve done a lot to replicate things, so soldiers in the field have minimal amount of rest, minimal amount of food, [while] trudging through swamps, moving through the woods, sleeping in the cold, and getting back to the basics.”

As Company B prepared for their cumulative training exercise they took soldiers from the three platoons and made two fully manned platoons, capable for any mission. Before Christmas, Company B received twenty new soldiers who became members of third platoon, along with a few seasoned soldiers, and quickly prepared to come up to speed to the rest of the unit.

“These guys are doing the run phase when everyone else started the crawl phase nine months ago,” said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Kirchoff, the platoon sergeant for third platoon.

Building a combat ready team started with training new personnel. Anderson said his third platoon had only been together for a few weeks when he took command.

“I was a little apprehensive coming out because of some of the stress that was going to be put on these guys,” said Anderson, “but they have really come together quite well and they are working really hard, sticking it out and have proven to be exceptionally tough Americans.”

Anderson added the training was one of the best ways for his soldiers to learn as they conducted attacks, breached obstacles, cleared trenches, dug fighting positions, reacted to chemical and indirect fire attacks, and defended against unknown enemies during the exercise.

Building was a team effort and Anderson gave much credit to his experienced noncommissioned officers and platoon leaders from the company who made third platoon come together.

As Kirchoff prepares to finish his platoon sergeant time, he said he has one focus. “I tell the soldiers my goal is to leave them with a platoon that is built and ready to go to war,” said the Cape May, New Jersey, native. “I’m going to give all the effort, all my knowledge and experience to these guys and develop junior leaders so they can take this platoon and develop the systems … important in an infantry platoon,” he said. “No matter who’s, missing or who’s not there, everybody is able to pick up the slack.”

Kirchoff said all of the new soldiers are in great physical shape, smart, and apply what they learn, and he had a hard time to highlight an individual soldier.

When he did, Kirchoff said, “Pvt. Warren is one of the guys who I think is a natural leader and I see him being a future team leader.” Kirchoff said Pvt. Jeremy Warren is a young, strong, motivated, soldier, who never complains, and is always very attentive.

“This is what I love to do, so I can’t complain,” said Warren, who aspires to be a team leader and a sergeant major one day. “The top NCO, that’s what I want to be,” said the Sparta, Georgia, native.

“I know the job that I signed up for and knowing that I know how to do my job, and knowing that I want to be the best of my job, gives me a thrill,” he said.

As part of a new crew, Warren said, “It’s important you know how to work as a team, move as a cohesive unit, and get the task and the mission done, and do it in a precise order so you know how to do it every other time.”

The infantrymen of Company B prepare to for combined arms live-fire exercise as they continue to build their team.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” added Kirchoff. “These guys came out here and are giving 110 percent; that’s all I can ask for; they are learning a ton.”

• Date Taken: 02.15.2015
• Date Posted: 02.17.2015 10:32
• Story ID: 154616
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US
• Hometown: CAPE MAY, NJ, US
• Hometown: PLAINFIELD, IL, US
• Hometown: SPARTA, GA, US