Bradley gunnery: ‘Bulldog Brigade’ always ready

Photo By Winifred Brown | An M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle crew shoots the vehicle’s M242 Bushmaster 25mm Chain Gun during gunnery training at the Doña Ana Range Complex, N.M., Aug. 3, 2018.  

UNITED STATES

08.09.2018

Story by Winifred Brown  

Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office

By Wendy Brown
Fort Bliss Garrison Public Affairs

DOÑA ANA RANGE COMPLEX, N.M. – In advance of Torch Week the week of Aug. 20, the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, organized gunnery training for the brigade’s M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle crews.
The brigade planned to qualify about 27 crews with three Soldiers each – a commander, a driver and a gunner – from Aug. 1 through Friday and make sure they are proficient shooting the vehicle’s M242 Bushmaster 25mm Chain Gun and the M240L machine gun. Torch Week is the 1st AD’s celebration of the division’s fight in Operation Torch in 1942 during World War II in North Africa, and this year it will include several competitions, including a best Bradley crew competition.
Staff Sgt. Michael Hill, a cavalry scout assigned to Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry, 3rd ABCT, 1st AD, and a range safety officer who helped set up the range, said all the crews receive points for their performance on the range, and everyone wants to be the best with the “distinguished” rating.
“That’s what we all strive for, because we all want to say we’re the best, and if we’re striving to be the best, that keeps everybody motivated,” Hill said. “So when we do have to engage the enemy and defend our nation, that just gives us more motivation because we know we have the best with us and we know our chances of success are a lot greater.”
Before the Soldiers even step foot inside a Bradley for shooting, however, they must first pass the Gunnery Skills Test, which involves disassembling and assembling the vehicle’s weapons systems under time constraints, Hill said.
“Speed is the key, because the enemy is not going to wait,” Hill said.
It is also important for all the crewmembers to be familiar with the weapon systems in case trouble develops, Hill said.
“For each Bradley you have the driver, you have the gunner and you have the Bradley commander, and each has to be proficient at it,” Hill said. “Say if the gunner goes down, he gets hurt or sick or something, or they got wounded in combat and the Bradley can’t move for whatever reason, maybe the BC can do the gunner’s job or the driver, or vice versa.”
In training, a similar scenario happened to 2nd Lt. Nicholas Baciu’s crew – their gunner couldn’t participate due to mouth surgery, and Baciu ended up switching his role from commander to gunner. The experience was invaluable, he said.
“It helps me because I get to actually see what my guys are doing,” Baciu said. “I’m usually in the back, so I don’t see anything … I’m pretty much just telling them where to go and what we’re doing and they take me there. So now I get to actually see how everything works and how everything is actually done, which is really awesome for me, because now I know how hard it is and what they do.”
Sgt. Abraham Sanchez, assigned to 2nd Sqdn., 13th Cav., 3rd ABCT, 1st AD, said the length of the training also helps crews meld as a team.
“It helps build team cohesion because it’s only you, your gunner and your (Bradley commander) inside there,” Sanchez said. “It helps you know how you work better because it’s all of you inside a small vehicle through all hours of the day.”
Sgt. Austin Grant, noncommissioned officer in charge of the ammunition point, said the training is helpful not only to those in the vehicles, but Soldiers in support roles as well.
“For me, as the NCOIC of this, it really helps,” Grant said. “In the Army you’re constantly training and you’re constantly developing yourself. This, it’s a lot of management and control … It certainly helps out leadership development for me.”
Hill said it all comes down to training Soldiers to be the best.
“The main thing is, it’s the Soldiers … They are the heart and soul of how we win our nation’s wars. It’s up to them, so we need to do our best to train them and just let them know that even though it’s harsh training, it’s fun,” Hill said.
The Army announced about two weeks ago that the brigade will deploy to the Republic of Korea, commonly known as South Korea, this winter.

• Date Taken: 08.09.2018
• Date Posted: 08.09.2018 16:12
• Story ID: 288085
• Location: US