Ivy Soldiers sharpen lethality during live-fire exercise

Photo By Staff Sgt. Inez Hammon | Sgt. Andrew Yhap, an information technology sergeant assigned to Signal, Intelligence, and Sustainment Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, scans his sector of fire during the blank run of a company live-fire exercise, Oct. 31, 2019, at Fort Carson, Colorado. Range safety officers were present on the lanes to ensure safety. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Inez Hammon)  

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, UNITED STATES

11.07.2019

Story by Sgt. Inez Hammon 

14th Public Affairs Detachment

Ivy Soldiers sharpen lethality during live-fire exercise
By: Sgt. Inez Hammon
FORT CARSON, Colo. – Calls of “Battle buddy, cover me while I move!” break the still silence of the brisk Fort Carson morning.

Soldiers of Signal, Intelligence and Sustainment Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division cover their buddy’s movement with suppressive fire during a company squad live-fire exercise, Oct. 31, at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Despite the adverse weather, about 40 Soldiers increased lethality and tested their critical thinking skills during the build-up battle buddy team exercise, which consisted of dry, blank and live iterations.

“Normally this is not routine training for Soldiers assigned to HHBN, so giving our Soldiers exposure to basic tactical and maneuver skills through live-fire exercises ensures they are ready for whatever situation they may encounter in a combat environment and be able to react,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Rietta Owens, senior enlisted advisor for HHBN, 4th Inf. Div.

Battle buddy team live-fire exercises are designed to improve teamwork and communication skills in real life engagement scenarios.

Soldiers practiced movement techniques while moving with their battle buddy to assess and engage 25-meter simulated targets during the dry and blank runs. The live run allowed Soldiers to have a more realistic training experience with live ammunition.

Owens recognizes the importance of Soldiers to keeping their basic tactical maneuver skills sharpened because they never know when they may need to use them.

The training progression leading up to the exercise included marksmanship qualification, training on hand and arm signals, first-aid and combat techniques training.

“The battlefield doesn’t care what (military occupational specialty) you are,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Morris, battalion commander, HHBN, 4th Inf. Div. “Everybody has to be able to integrate into some type of combat formation.”

For some of the Soldiers this exercise was their first experience conducting an exercise on this scale.

“I feel that we’re properly trained and had sufficient time to familiarize ourselves with our weapons and battle drills,” said Spc. Aaron Cook, a signal system support specialist assigned to SISCO, HHBN, 4th Inf. Div. “Conducting a live-fire exercise isn’t something done by many signal units. It gave us an opportunity to stretch beyond our normal training into an environment that was new, but I believe is a necessity for all Soldiers.”

The training emphasized the importance of Soldier training.

It’s all about survivability in combat, and it’s his job to make sure everyone is ready, Morris said.

-30-

• Date Taken: 11.07.2019
• Date Posted: 11.07.2019 17:37
• Story ID: 350949
• Location: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
• Hometown: EL PASO, TX, US
• Hometown: RED BANK, NJ, US
• Hometown: TAMPA, FL, US