Straight Shooters: Oregon tank crew claims top gun honors for Idaho’s 116th HBCT

Photo By Staff Sgt. Patrick Caldwell | A M1A2 System Enhanced Program Abrams tank crew from Hermiston Oregon’s, Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment hold up the Top Gun trophy during a ceremony at Orchard Combat Training Center June 17. The crew of Delta 23 out-shot every other tank in the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team and recorded a score of 958 on the decisive Table VI tank gunnery qualification table. The crew consisted of: Driver Pfc. Justin Ishaug, Springfield, Oregon; Loader Pfc. Kyle Crader, Weston, Oregon; Gunner Sgt. Travis Schachtel, Oregon City, Oregon and Tank Commander Staff Sgt. Jeff McCracken, Redmond, Oregon.  

REDMOND OREGON, OREGON CITY, OR, UNITED STATES

06.17.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Patrick Caldwell 

116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team

ORCHARD COMBAT TRAINING CENTER, Idaho – Teamwork and the ability to overcome challenges proved to be the key ingredients for an Oregon Army National Guard tank crew on its way to securing Top Gun honors here in June.

The crew of Delta 23, an M1A2 System Enhanced Program Abrams main battle tank assigned to Company D, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment clinched the top gunnery honors with a score of 958 on the decisive Table VI tank gunnery qualification test. Delta 23’s score was the highest in the entire 116th Brigade Combat Team which consists of tank and cavalry units from Montana, Oregon and Idaho. Delta 23’s score outpaced more than 45 other Abrams crews. Company D is assigned to the Hermiston, Oregon armory.

The Delta 23 crew consisted of: Driver Pfc. Justin Ishaug, Springfield, Oregon; Loader Pfc. Kyle Crader, Weston, Oregon; Gunner Sgt. Travis Schachtel, Oregon City, Oregon and Tank Commander Staff Sgt. Jeff McCracken, Redmond, Oregon.

Delta 23’s success occurred as the 3rd Battalion conducted gunnery trials and other training during an 11-day exercise to prepare for an August rotation at the National Training Center (NTC). The 3rd Battalion will join its parent organization, the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, for the three week rotation beginning in early August.

The crew of Delta 23 did not start the 11-day training cycle on the high desert south of Boise, Idaho, intent on clinching Top Gun honors. Instead, the crew was focused on performing up to standard by practicing the key fundamentals of an armor crew.

“All we were really shooting for, at first, was to Q1,” Crader said.

According to McCracken, the crew faced more than its share of obstacles on its way to securing Top Gun honors.

At the last minute, Schachtel was assigned to be Delta 23’s gunner, a key change in an important position that carried the potential of sparking crew turbulence. Yet, the switch proved to be beneficial.

“I had worked with him (Schachtel) before,” McCracken said. “He was my loader two years ago.”

McCracken explained that one of the biggest challenges was not the final Table VI gunnery qualification run but the minor issues every tank crew must overcome when in the field. The crew dealt with a number of challenges as it moved from range to range.
McCracken described some of the challenges.

“Fighting the tank,” McCracken said. “All the unexpected stuff you run into.”
McCracken said while he wasn’t initially focused on clinching Top Gun honors he was confident his crew would perform well.

“I knew my guys would give it their best,” McCracken said.
Schachtel said the key to Delta 23’s success was simple: Crew cohesion.

“We had good morale and worked together so well,” Schachtel said.

Ishaug said the crew was able to disregard distractions.

“We focused on the job at hand,” Ishaug said.
McCracken explained Delta 23’s success hinged on the hard work of the battalion’s mechanics. Without their help, he said, Delta 23 may not have achieved its top honors.

All four members of Delta 23 said they were pleased with their Top Gun award.

“It felt great achieving one of the high awards of this job,” Schachtel said.

McCracken pushed praise off onto his crew.

“If you don’t have a good crew that can work together you don’t have anything,” McCracken said.

The crew said they are excited about the upcoming NTC rotation. While aware of the difficulty of an NTC rotation, all four members said they see the August stint on the Mohave Desert as an opportunity not a challenge.

“It is a once in a lifetime deal,” Ishaug said.

• Date Taken: 06.17.2015
• Date Posted: 07.02.2015 01:26
• Story ID: 168860
• Location: REDMOND OREGON, OREGON CITY, OR, US