Photo By Winifred Brown | Pvt. Marcos Davila, assigned to 504th Composite Supply Company, 142nd Combat...... read more read more
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By Wendy Brown
Fort Bliss Garrison Public Affairs
MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – Soldiers assigned to the 504th Composite Supply Company included three steps in their convoy protection exercise here June 12, building confidence with each iteration and culminating with a live-fire exercise.
Lt. Col. Asuero Mayo, commander, 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division, under which the 504th CSC falls, said the idea behind the exercise was to prepare Soldiers for real-world missions.
“(They have to) understand what they might walk into,” Mayo said. “They always have to plan for the worst case, train for the worst case. We do this to get our Soldiers out of their comfort zones and trust their battle buddies.”
Capt. Timothy McDonald, commander, 504th CSC, 142nd CSSB, 1st AD Sust. Bde., said Soldiers qualified on their weapons first, then mounted onto vehicles, traveled down a route and engaged targets with blank ammunition. They proceeded to a live-fire exercise for the third iteration. “This is the culminating event,” McDonald said. “This is what will certify us, prepare us, train us so that we can deploy. This is a big deal for us.”
Pfc. Bradley Gerber, a fueler assigned to the 504th CSC, 142nd CSSB, 1st AD Sust. Bde., said Soldiers improved throughout the day.
“With each iteration we get a little bit more confident and assured that everyone is going to have the muscle memory when they need to use it,” Gerber said. “They’re going to have that ability, and they’re going to have more trust in each other. They know the person to their left and right is going to know how to act as quickly as possible.”
First Sgt. Eliana Gallardo, first sergeant, 504th CSC, 142nd CSSB, 1st AD Sust. Bde., said the training brought together elements the company works on throughout the year.
During Sergeant’s Time Training, for example, Soldiers might learn about communications, weapons maintenance or qualify on a weapon, Gallardo said.
“It all leads up to this,” Gallardo said. “It’s not just one big class that is going to teach you everything that you need to know. It’s just a constant basis of training on a weekly basis.”
Sgt. Williejames Profit, a fueler who served as a squad leader of a dismounted fire team during the live-fire exercise, said the Soldiers on his team impressed him.
“The Soldiers did absolutely excellent,” Profit said. “When we initially started out, everyone had their little hiccups, but when the final iteration came through, I could find almost no fault in them.”
Gerber, a member of Profit’s team, said there was a reason for that – leaders took the time to work with Soldiers before the live-fire exercise.
“Every time they see an issue, they go more and more into depth, making that issue a strong point,” Gerber said.
Spc. Rachael Zepeda, also a fueler assigned to the unit, said she enjoyed the exercise.
“This is the stuff I live for. I enjoy working with the team and seeing how everything can move smoothly and how we can move close and destroy the enemy if we need to,” Zepeda said.
| Date Taken: | 06.21.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.21.2018 16:02 |
| Story ID: | 281842 |
| Location: | NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 266 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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