War Paint Troopers host special guest during gunnery

Courtesy Photo | An Apache helicopter from 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade joins a scout platoon of Bradley Fighting Vehicles from 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment Nov. 7 for their Gunnery Table XII at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The gunnery table qualifies the squadron’s platoons as they continue to build readiness in preparation for 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division’s upcoming spring rotation to the National Training Center. (U.S. Army Photo by 1st Lt. Victoria Hulm)  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

11.07.2016

Courtesy Story

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

(FORT STEWART, Georgia) The Troopers from 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment had a special visitor for their Gunnery Table XII at Fort Stewart, Ga. Nov. 7.

Retired Maj. Gen. Larry Budge, who commanded the squadron’s Company C in Vietnam in 1966, was on hand to observe the scout platoons qualify while visiting with the squadron’s Troopers.

“This was a good opportunity to show [Maj. Gen. Budge] how much the squadron equipment and tactics have grown since the Vietnam Era,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Gamble, a platoon sergeant in the squadron.

As part of his visit, Budge also saw a static display of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and had an MRE lunch with some of the Troopers.

The gunnery table incorporated the squadron’s organic 120mm mortars and an Attack Weapons Team from 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment.

The gunnery table qualifies the squadron’s platoons as they continue to build readiness in preparation for the 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team’s upcoming spring rotation to the National Training Center.

“As the squadron focuses on building training readiness, this gunnery was a great opportunity to challenge our Troopers and get better at the crew and platoon level,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Mahaffey, the commander for 5th Sqdn., 7th Cav. Rgmt. “We also built relationships with the attack reconnaissance squadron of 3-17 CAV. This relationship will pay big dividends as we prepare to fight and win at NTC.”

• Date Taken: 11.07.2016
• Date Posted: 11.09.2016 14:39
• Story ID: 214268
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US