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CHERRY POINT, N.C. – Over the last few deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, service members have grown accustomed to established infrastructures such as barracks and dining facilities. With the wars winding down, paratroopers of the 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade decided to refine their basic Soldier skills in an austere environment away from Fort Bragg, N.C.
The 3rd GSAB, 82nd CAB conducted their aerial gunnery exercise at Cherry Point, N.C. in preparation for future missions anywhere in the world.
“We brought our paratroopers out here to Cherry Point for two reasons,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Ros, the incoming senior enlisted member for the 3rd GSAB, 82nd CAB. “Not only to qualify our air crews on their assigned weapon, but to exercise our basic systems such as establishing a living and sleeping area with tents and cots and establishing a tactical operations center that we can quickly break down and reposition.”
For Pvt. 1st Class LeDevon Bryant, a petroleum supply specialist assigned to Echo Company, 3rd GSAB, 82nd CAB, this was his first taste of the field with his unit.
“This field problem allowed all of us to come together as one and make us a stronger team,” said Bryant. “We trust each other and rely on each other more after this.”
This field training exercise had the paratroopers in a more austere environment than seen on their last combat deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel.
“The paratroopers are living in tents and sleeping on cots,” said Ros. “We partnered with the Marine Corps on post to have showers for our females and our dining facility personnel to make sure the food is served in a sanitary manner.”
Bringing over 300 Paratroopers to the field is no easy task, even when staying on Fort Bragg, N.C., the unit’s home. Taking all the equipment and personnel to an unfamiliar location brings more challenges, but highlighted the unit’s capabilities.
“We brought out 87 pieces or rolling stock from Humvees to [Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks],” said Ros. “This is the largest convoy the battalion has ever done. We only had one trailer that didn’t make it out here, but we were able to safely recover it and get it back to Fort Bragg.”
Since the battalion’s formation in April of 2006, the focus has been the wartime efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but units in the 82nd Airborne Division must be prepared for missions all over the world.
“This field problem helped us prepare not only for an upcoming rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center, [Fort Polk, Louisiana], but missions anywhere in the world,” said Ros. “Being in the 82nd Abn. Div. means you are part of the Army’s ready division so we must be prepared to go anywhere at any time.”
The austere location also had added benefits of allowing the units to practice unit-level tactics and training, further enhancing their capabilities on the battlefield. One training event gave the unit’s fuelers a chance to see something called the “fat cow.”
“Fat cow” training gave us a chance to see something unique and different,” said Bryant. “It allows us to fuel the helicopters, even when they can’t come to us.”
The training showed the paratroopers a system that can provide up to 2,400 gallons of fuel to aircraft anywhere they can land.
“It’s unique and different,” said Bryant. “I feel more experienced and better equipped to deal with situations that may require this training.”
For Bryant, this training helped instill faith in his leaders and peers in the unit.
“The senior leaders are teaching us what they know from years of experience,” said Bryant. “I hope to take away the wisdom and knowledge of the leaders in my unit. When you are in the field with people, not only do you get great training, you also develop a bond with them from being out in the field.”
With a year in the Army and the whole world in front of him, Bryant has already found some great things about not only the Army but his unit.
“I love the people,” said Bryant. “You can’t take away the bond you have with people. Even if you get out, that bond is still there. I have a lot of people around here who motivate me from the 1st Sgt. and commander on down.”
For the incoming CSM to the battalion, CSM Ros had the chance to be in the field with his paratroopers.
“I am so proud of my troopers,” said Ros. “My most proud moment was watching my junior noncommissioned officers lead from the front walking their troopers through the steps for any training that was going on.”
Being over 150 miles away from home, conducting the unit’s largest convoy to date, and living in a field environment gave the senior leader for the unit one big takeaway.
“We can do anything we set our minds to.”
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2015 11:44 |
| Story ID: | 176730 |
| Location: | CHERRY POINT, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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