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    Fury brings home gold from UK Cambrian Patrol

    FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Early into the exercise, as the U.S. patrol traveled across a ridgeline in Wales, Sgt. Kevin Patrick realized their good weather was about to depart.

    En route to their objective of a close target reconnaissance mission, the sun had been bright and the heat had sapped their strength. They had climbed, sweating and straining, for about an hour and then stopped to reconsolidate supplies and check their map on a grassy hilltop. Then a strong, deeply chilling wind cut through.

    “It was very windy at the top of the peaks and very cold,” he said. “I spotted it and called up on the radio.”

    In the distance, Patrick saw the approaching pall of rain, sleet and fog. The giant, dark clouds would be right where they needed to go.

    ‘Things are about to get uncomfortable,” he sent through his radio.

    This year, a U.S. team of eight paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, proved their superior expertise and stamina by taking a gold medal, the highest award possible, from the Cambrian Patrol, which ran from Oct. 16 through Oct. 25.

    Begun in 1959 and held annually in the Welsh Black Mountains, the Cambrian Patrol is internationally recognized as a grueling test of stamina and tactical expertise for military members. It is a patrolling exercise and not a competition, and assesses the best warfighters from British regular and reserve units as well as armies from throughout the world. This year, a record number of participating countries sent patrols, including the United States, New Zealand, Poland, Pakistan, Czech Republic, France, Denmark, Australia, Holland, Ireland, India, Canada, Chile, Brazil, The Royal Army of Oman, Switzerland, Lithuania, Nepal, Bosnia and Georgia. In total, 126 patrols showed up to try their fortitude and grit.

    Selected to represent the Division from a best squad competition held last May, the team of Paratroopers came together from Companies throughout the 2 Fury Battalion. Those members had little experience working together, which presented an initial challenge, but also provided some strength during the train up for the exercise.

    “We all had different backgrounds and experience,” said Patrick, an infantryman and one of two team leaders of the patrol. “Some had deployed several times and others were brand new faces to the Army. Working as a completely autonomous, eight-person team doing reconnaissance and surveillance had a little bit of a learning curve.”

    The team trained for four months, first in Virginia’s Smokey Mountains, and then for several weeks under the tutelage of British and Dutch teams, providing the paratroopers some conception of what they would face throughout the patrol. The scenarios and locations of the Cambrian Patrol change from year to year, however, requiring the team to rehearse a multitude of tasks and drills.

    “We trained to react to any situation and that paid dividends later on,” said 1st Lt. Craig Penley, the patrol leader and an infantry officer. “We went in there blind and had to play catch up as we saw what it looked like.”

    Penley said he was impressed by the work of one particular Dutch patrol and looked to them as an example of what his team should be doing. It was obvious to him that the Dutch patrol was experienced and had well-established standard operating procedures. He watched as that proficient team received a silver medal moments before the 2 Fury team were to receive their award. Witnessing that, Penley wasn’t prepared for his patrol to receive the gold.

    “That’s when it hit me,” he said. “It’s a testament to how good our Paratroopers are. They can go into an unknown situation and figure it out and make the mission a success.”

    As the forcible entry component of the Global Response Force mission, 82nd Abn. Div. Paratroopers constantly train for a wide scope of possibilities, from a broad spectrum of anticipated wartime missions to humanitarian assistance.

    “I am confident that we can go anywhere and do anything,” said Penley. “That’s what Paratroopers do.”

    Lack of first-hand experience wasn’t the only challenge facing the 2 Fury Paratroopers as they began the patrol. Several members of the team were sick and many were missing sleep due to late preparations before beginning the arduous physical test. Nonetheless, cohesion and drive brought the best out of the team, according to Penley.

    “We knew how to work together and one word or hand signal from me made 20 different things happen,” he said. “It was flawless and beautiful.”

    The Cambrian Patrol was divided into seven phases with 18 patrols testing per phase. Each patrol faced a variety of scenarios and was graded on how skillfully they negotiated them.

    As with many military exercises, the team members first demonstrated that they had brought every required piece of equipment and clothing for the event. They received their mission orders tailored to a specific and realistic scenario and were deposited out into the hills.

    Throughout the 48-hour patrolling mission, they moved more than 30 miles over elevation changes of nearly 3,000 feet with a toilsome 60 pounds or more on their backs.

    They navigated the rugged, unfamiliar terrain during the day and through the night, as well as through fog that reduced visibility to less than 100 yards. All the while, they were conscious that any mistake would only add more strain to the patrol. They crossed 55 yards of frigid river, bereft of a boat. During a mass casualty scenario, they prioritized emergency medical aid in spite of being overwhelmed by the number and condition of the wounded. They went on to operate through an environment suspected of contamination by chemical agents, where protective, yet cumbersome, equipment further added to the rigors. They executed close quarters combat tasks while clearing a three-story building. The team also displayed careful diplomacy to deescalate a hostile situation with the transfer of a detainee.

    In spite of the unforgiving terrain and elements, the 2 Fury paratroopers would become the only patrol to get a gold medal out of the 18 performing in the fifth phase of the Cambrian Patrol.

    “They did the All Americans proud and were great ambassadors for the U.S. Army,” said British Army Maj. Gen. Giles Hill, former Deputy Commanding General-Interoperability for the 82nd Abn. Div. and current commander of the 1st (UK) Division. “The patrol leader was very strong and gave the best set of orders of any team over the whole nine days. It made me proud to be able to present their medals.”

    Gold medals are awarded to the patrols that accrue 75 percent or more of the total possible points, with silver awarded for 65-74 percent and bronze for 55-65 percent. Patrols that fall below 55 percent of the total possible points but still complete the patrol within the allowed time receive a certificate. If a patrol falls below five members, they will not be considered as completing the patrol.

    According to Penley, only seven teams received gold medals throughout the entirety of the exercise, this year.

    With that accomplishment, about half of the team went into London to celebrate alongside some of the British participants. However, the remainders were content with a more subdued celebration by simply resting.

    The Fury paratroopers’ Cambrian Patrol experience took off from within the Division’s interoperability program, an effort to build trust and foster closer relationships with key international crisis response force partners. The result of the program is an increased mutual military capability with other nations’ most elite and highly trained military units.

    “You look across the table at our partner forces, and you see that we operate very similarly,” said Patrick. “No matter where you go among our allied partners, a Soldier is a Soldier.”

    Citing the culture prevalent within military forces, he explained, “We all face the same challenges, frustrations, sacrifices and triumphs in our profession. No matter what the uniform, you can look across and see a version of yourself.”

    Among the medals and experiences the patrol gained on the other side of the Atlantic, the team also added to their kit of professional skills, both physical and mental.

    “The team did outstanding and was incredibly relentless and unwavering throughout,” Patrick said. “But there were times when everyone would realize they had a lot longer to go. But you find ways to laugh off the pain and misery.”

    The young Noncommissioned Officer stated his own personal growth was worth the toil, having learned much about the challenges of leading troops close to their breaking point. He also appreciated the uniqueness of the opportunity.

    “It’s definitely a huge honor,” said Patrick. “Very few people from the 82nd, or the Army, will ever get to do this.”

    Penley echoed the value of leadership lessons learned within a unique and dynamic setting.

    “It was probably the best leadership experience I’ve had in the Army,” said the officer. “When the reins are taken off, you’re figuring it out on your own, and you gain confidence.”

    “It was a pleasure to show the world what 82nd paratroopers can do,” he concluded.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 11.17.2015
    Date Posted: 11.17.2015 14:57
    Story ID: 182159
    Location: GB
    Hometown: FAYETTEVILLE, NC, US
    Hometown: FORT LIBERTY, NC, US
    Hometown: HICKORY, NC, US

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