Photo By Staff Sgt. Armando Limon | Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division sit aboard a...... read more read more
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, “Broncos,” 25th Infantry Division, began a successful year as companies assigned to 2nd Battalion, 27th Inf. Regiment, “Wolfhounds,” loaded up a U.S. Army logistics support vessel for an exercise at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), on the island of Hawaii, in January.
First Lt. Robert Johnston, assistant operations officer, 2-27th Inf. Regt., stated that vehicles and equipment were to be used as an opposing force in support of the 2nd BCT, 25th ID, during the Lightning Forge 16 exercise that took place during the beginning of February.
McDermott, battalion career counselor, 29th Bde. Engineer Bn., “Wayfinders,” won the U.S. Army-Pacific Command Career Counselor of the Year at Fort Shafter at the end of January. McDermott thanked Master Sgt. Karen Fields, 3rd BCT career counselor, for providing excellent mentorship and guidance for him.
The Bronco brigade held a change of responsibility ceremony with outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy N. Johnson relinquishing responsibility to Command Sgt. Maj. Alan E. Michaud in March.
“(His) service to the brigade made us individually and collectively so much better in so many ways,” said Col. Scott W. Kelly. “These three traits define Command Sgt. Maj. Johnson for me and harken to a significant impact he had on this brigade.”
The 2nd Bn., 35th Inf. Regt., “Cacti,” along with elements from the 3rd Bn., 7th Field Artillery Regt., “Sappers,” from the 29th BEB, and combat aviation elements from the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cav. Regt., held a company combined arms live-fire exercise (CALFEX) at the Battle Area Complex (BAX), mid-March.
“(If) we ever deploy, we don’t deploy as infantryman; we deploy as an Army,” said Maj. Jacob White, operations officer, 2-35th Inf. Regt.
The Soldiers from 3rd Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt., “Raiders,” 3rd BCT, conducted fast rope insertion extraction system (FRIES) techniques with their Marine Corps and Air Force counterparts at the end of March.
Sgt. 1st Class Tim Briggs, assigned to 3-4th Cav. Regt., said the Marines brought different techniques for them to learn and visa-versa during the FRIES training.
In April, Bronco Soldiers completed a demanding week of expert infantry skills testing. It culminated in the awarding of the Expert Infantryman’s Badge (EIB).
“Earning your EIB is important because it’s the only way to show you know how to do your level one task,” said Spc. Hugo Parra, EIB grader, 3-4th Cav. Regt.
Soldiers of 325th Bde. Support Bn., and 29th BEB, came together to make ti leaf lei at Wahiawa District Park to be placed on the headstones at the Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery prior to Memorial Day in May.
“It’s great to see the Soldiers,” said David Seeholzer, Rainbow Seniors vice president. “You know we in Wahiawa see Schofield as essentially part of the community.”
The Bronco Brigade welcomed Col. Robert M. Ryan as the new brigade commander and said farewell to outgoing commander Col. Scott W. Kelly during a change of command on Weyand Field in June.
“To the Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade,” Kelly said. “I am deeply honored to have gotten the opportunity to serve you.”
Task Force Raider, comprised of elements from 3-4th Cav. Regt., and 2-27th Inf. Regt., participated in exercise Southern Jackaroo 16 with the Australian Army during the second half of May at Shoal Water Bay Training Area in Queensland, Australia. Afterward, TF Raider participated in a second exercise, Hamel 16, at the Cultana Training Area in the state of South Australia from the end of June to mid-July.
Soldiers from the Bronco Brigade; 29th Bde. Combat Team, Hawaii Army National Guard; and the 9th Inf. Bde., 6th Div., Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) came together for exercise Tiger Balm 16, in July. The exercise culminated with troops from the Wolfhounds and SAF during a CALFEX at PTA.
“It was a good experience for the boys,” said Capt. Aaron Teow, 9th Inf. Bde., 6th Div., SAF. “It is nice to be on an outdoor range that gives realistic training and scenarios.”
The Wolfhounds showed the ohana spirit by hosting four children from the Holy Family Home in Osaka for the annual summer visit to Oahu in August.
Yasushi Misawa, Japan Consul General, described the Wolfhound story with the orphanage as “a story of devotion and commitment of the regiment and Master Sgt. Hugh O’Reilly to help the children of the Holy Family Home after post-World War II.”
During September, the Bronco Brigade participated in exercise Orient Shield 16 with Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces at Aibano Training Area, Japan. Troops from JGSDF and the Wolfhounds trained together during various combat scenarios.
The Cacti led the annual capabilities exercise (CAPEX) at the BAX for Tropic Lightning Week during the beginning of October.
“Typically, a lot of our training is done with the enablers that the battalion can provide,” Hill said. “However, during the capabilities exercise, we bring in aviation, artillery, and we bring in engineer assets.”
Task Force Raider, consisting of elements of 3-4th Cav. Regt., 2-35th Inf. Regt., and 29th BEB, departed from Wheeler Army Airfield to PTA at the end of October for exercise Lightning Forge 17.
“Joint training with the Army and Air Force in support of Lightning Forge 17 allows both Soldiers and Airmen a great training opportunity,” said Warrant Officer 1 Miguel Flores, mobility officer, HHC, 3rd BCT.
Bronco Soldiers participated in the 70th Annual Wahiawa Veterans Day and 34th Waianae Veterans Day parades in November.
“It’s actually awesome,” said Pfc. Isaiah Weathers, a participant in the Waianae parade, assigned to 29th BEB, “all the history and rich memories through Pearl Harbor and everything.”
The Bronco Brigade closed out the year with participating in the weeklong exercise Yama Sakura at Area X-ray at the beginning of December.
“The progress that the Bronco Brigade has experienced over the past year in readiness has allowed us to continue to serve as the key rapid response force in the PACOM (Pacific Command) area of responsibility,” Ryan said. “Our Army’s success depends on the ability to maintain lethality while managing the critical relationships that allow our Army to be the expeditionary force of choice.”
| Date Taken: | 12.23.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2017 18:58 |
| Story ID: | 219779 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 204 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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