1-68 Armor shows deployment capabilities to House delegation

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Ange Desinor | Staff Sgt. Andrew Crouch, an armor crewman for Company C, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, shows Nicholas Mikula, press secretary of the House Armed Services Committee, the tank commander’s .50-caliber M2 machinegun on an M1A2 Abrams tank, during a congressional delegation tour of the battalion motor pool at Fort Carson, Colorado, Oct. 26, 2015. The visit to Fort Carson offered the delegation a first-hand opportunity to provide members of the House Armed Services Committee with a greater understanding of how Fort Carson units’ will be supporting various upcoming missions overseas. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor, 3rd ABCT Public Affairs, 4th Infantry Division)  

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

10.26.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor  

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

FORT CARSON, Colorado – A congressional staff delegation visited Fort Carson Oct. 26 on behalf of the House Armed Service Committee, and the tour included an opportunity to see the 4th Infantry Division’s armored capabilities up close while talking to tankers from 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team.

The delegation was led by led by Mike Tehrani, military legislative assistant to Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA), and Kathryn Mitchell, military legislative assistant to Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), who visited with Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, while touring the unit motor pool. The purpose of the visit was to provide members of the House Armed Services Committee with information regarding Fort Carson units’ support of various upcoming missions overseas.

“They came down to assess the Iron Brigade’s readiness for an upcoming deployment,” said Capt. Chris Kell, 3rd Armored Brigade civil affairs officer. “It’s a chance to put our Soldiers in front of people who influence national policy as well as to show our lethality.”

“It’s also about us being able to show the American people that they did a good job picking us for upcoming missions,” Kell said.

While touring 1-68 Armor’s motor pool with brigade and battalion leaders, the congressional staff members interacted with Soldiers who showed them an M1A2 Abrams tank, M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicle, M1064 mortar carrier and other weapons systems.

“I am very impressed,” said Tehrani. “When we are at work in Washington, our ability to reach out is limited. So it helps to come out and see how things are going on the ground.”

Mitchell had the opportunity to climb into the turret of an Abrams tank, an experience she said helped put her in the boots of Soldiers for a few moments to better understand their needs.

“From someone who doesn’t come from a (military) service background, I think this was very critical,” said Mitchell of directly talking to Soldiers.

• Date Taken: 10.26.2016
• Date Posted: 11.03.2016 16:52
• Story ID: 213778
• Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US