3CR’s Steel Readies for NTC Rotation

Photo By Maj. Marion Jo Nederhoed | Members of Team “CHUNGUS”, Battery C, Field Artillery Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment following a series of call for fire during the regiment’s Fire Coordination Exercise Sept. 17 at Fort Hood, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jo Nederhoed)  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

09.30.2019

Story by Capt. Marion Jo Nederhoed 

3d Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs Office

“CHUNGUS”

It represents more than a name. It’s Pride. It’s the King of Battle!

Troopers from the “Brave Rifles”, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, patiently await for the call of “Fire Mission.” Then it’s all hands on deck with the troopers moving like a well-oiled machine. In less than 20 seconds the fire mission is over and the team responds loudly with, “CHUNGUS” as they praise each other and the smoking M777 Howitzer that just fired off with an earth shaking, “BOOM.”

The nine-member team from Battery C, Field Artillery Squadron (Steel), are proud of each other and their M777 Howitzer that they have dubbed “CHUNGUS”

Team Section Chief, Staff Sgt. Eric Poe said he hand-picked his team and brought them together eight months ago. Three members of the team bring experience while the rest of the members of the team are fresh out of their Advanced Individual Training course.

The team may lack experience, but they have made up for it in heart Poe said.

“I’m very proud of these guys,” Poe added. “The team has achieved top gun.”

Poe said this is his third time training up for a rotation at the National Training Center while stationed at Fort Hood. With every change of leadership he said the train-up has been a little different. For this rotation they have focused on moving as a battery and using the regiment to move all three squadrons.

For the past several months the team has been in the field training. Starting in June with squad training exercises, the team advanced through a series of regiment training exercise and ended with the culminating event, Fire Coordination Exercise on Sept. 17. The training has led to the team now having six certified gunners and two expert gunners.

“It has been very effective,” Poe said. “Our team has trained hard and is ready for whatever mission we are called for.”
Spc. Nelson Orville is the #1 Man on the team and also the team motivator.

“I can look to these guys to get the job done right every single time and not worry about any mess-ups,” Orville said.

Pfc. Joseph Pohto is the Powder Man and junior trooper on the team.

“During the FTX and FCX we learned a lot. Chief has trickled down the information very well and showed everyone how to do their jobs,” Pohto said. “Everybody in my section picks each other up and does everything together. We all work really well together, just like a well-oiled machine.”

• Date Taken: 09.30.2019
• Date Posted: 09.30.2019 21:13
• Story ID: 344790
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US