Urban patrol exercise promotes teamwork, readiness

Photo By Pfc. Jennifer Lena | U.S. Army Specialists Kyle Bryant, Adam North and Cody Brave Bird – Beck, of the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 451st Engineer Detachment, move as a team to clear buildings while training on the urban patrol course during the Golden Coyote training exercise on West Camp Rapid in Rapid City, S.D. June 9, 2015. The course promotes communication and team-building skills between service members conducting the training.  

RAPID CITY, SD, UNITED STATES

06.10.2015

Story by Pfc. Jennifer Lena 

129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Service members attending the Golden Coyote training exercise have the opportunity to gain leadership and team cohesion skills as they conduct military training operations at West Camp Rapid, in the Black Hills, June 8.

The training scenario is designed to provide squads and platoons with a facility to train and evaluate urban operations tasks.

“The lane is conducted continuously throughout Golden Coyote, and will help promote communication and team-building skills,” said 1st Lt. Terry Berndt, the officer in charge for the urban patrol course.

The instructors employ a crawl, walk, run method of teaching, which allows trainees to see a demonstration of the tactics used and a preview of the course’s physical urban terrain before the team executes the mission.

During the exercise, troops will engage opposing force role-players in an attempt to clear the mock village of any simulated threats.

“If you have new service members who haven’t deployed, this gives them the basics of how to operate in an urban environment,” said Staff Sgt. Max Stoltenburg, of the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 451st Engineer Detachment.

Skills such as calling in first aid for injured comrades and subduing the enemy are highlights within the exercise.

Troops are first given an operation order and a safety brief before they are allowed to test themselves against the role-players.

Armed with paintball guns, trainees must tactically advance through a wooded field while enemy role-players defend the mock village ahead.

“The most important aspect is working on communication and team-building skills,” said Berndt. “At the beginning it’s all chaos and then by the end of it, they’re all working together. Most people leave with a big smile on their face.”

Though the paintball guns are fun to use, the pretense of the scenario is nothing short of severe.

“The goal of this exercise is to get everybody out of the state-of-mind that they will never have to engage the enemy,” said Sgt. Isiah Sosa, Bravo Company, 141st Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo., and course role-player.

Service members who go through the exercise agree that preparedness is essential to success in any mission.

“It was definitely challenging,” said Spc. Cody Brave Bird – Beck, a soldier of the 451st Engineer Detachment. “You get a sense of awareness of what we might expect in the future when we deploy.”

“We’re trying to get them mentally and physically prepared,” said Stoltenburg. “Teamwork is our key to victory.”

• Date Taken: 06.10.2015
• Date Posted: 06.11.2015 12:46
• Story ID: 166277
• Location: RAPID CITY, SD, US
• Hometown: FORT CARSON, CO, US
• Hometown: RAPID CITY, SD, US