STB Conducts Base Defense

Photo By Sgt. Elizabeth Clark | Spc. Joshua McNeal, a financial management technician with 24th Financial Management Support Unit, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, applies a combat action tourniquet to his arm during a Base Defense Live Fire Exercise on Jan. 29, 2019 at Ft. Stewart, Ga. Soldiers trained in providing tactical combat casualty care during the exercise. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Elizabeth White/Released)  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

01.29.2019

Story by Sgt. Elizabeth Clark 

3rd Division Sustainment Brigade

Soldiers in the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, completed a Base Defense Life Fire Exercise (BDLFX) on Jan. 30, 2019 at Ft. Stewart, Ga. The purpose of the exercise was to certify platoons in base defense operations including reacting to simulated gas attacks, treating casualties and reacting to enemy attacks.
“One of our mission essential tasks is to conduct a base defense operation, the battalion can’t conduct its mission if the companies and platoons don’t know how to conduct theirs,” said Maj. Clint L. Gudan, the STB executive officer. “Starting at the smallest level and working our way up, it allows us to secure the sustainment brigade whenever they’re conducting operations in a [deployed] environment.”
The sustainment brigade is the lifeblood of the 3rd Infantry Division’s operations. Sustainment units are responsible for supplying ammunition, food, fuel, water, communication capabilities and managing Soldiers’ finances. They not only need to defend themselves, they also need to be prepared to defend those resources and anyone that comes to access them.
“As the battalion headquarters for the sustainment brigade, it is our responsibility to provide that security for the brigade headquarters,” said Gudan. “Additionally, if you think about the mission of STB, we own the signal company, the finance company and the human resources company, so we would have to defend those key nodes where troops are coming in, getting processed or getting their pay.”
While the sustainment mission is important for keeping Soldiers fed, armed and paid, it isn’t the most glamorous job in the Army. Often, Soldiers spend their days behind a desk or in a motor pool maintaining those supply assets. Being able to train in reacting to simulated enemy contact, treat a casualty and defend their base was an opportune chance to get back to the basics.
“A lot of our Soldiers don’t get the opportunity to do these kinds of things while working in a brigade or battalion element,” said Staff Sgt. Andrew Kiefer, the senior construction equipment repairer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, STB, 3rd Inf. Div. Sust. Bde. “When we get these types of things going on it gives them an overview of what it’s actually like to be a total Soldier. It gets the Soldiers back to what they learned in basic training.”
Soldiers took in the learning experience the base defense provided and began planning for further advancement of those skills.
“We’re looking in the future to do sergeant’s time training, ranges and things like that,” said Kiefer.
The brigade continues to train to meet any challenge at home or abroad, protect and sustain the 3rd Inf. Div. and advance the Army mission.

• Date Taken: 01.29.2019
• Date Posted: 02.01.2019 10:29
• Story ID: 309160
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US