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By: Sgt. Quintin Gee, 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element
Enemy fire from a foreign bunker and fast reactions to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats were some of the Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills Soldiers competing in 1st Armored Division's Iron Squad Competition faced, April 19-22, 2022, at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Day three of the four-day long competition brought the nine competing squads from the physical fitness field to a simulated front line. First, before dawn, an Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), then competitors moved to field drills that included the proper don of their protective mask and Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JLIST) as they responded to a CBRN threat.
Command Sgt. Maj. Daphane Charles, the Division's CBRN sergeant major, said the Soldiers competing learned and trained all while engaged in a team-building, competitive atmosphere.
"When you're competing you train for it; you get more knowledge, it involves more studying, but also esprit de corps," Charles said, adding, "The concept of ‘This is My Squad’: We work together, we struggle together, we win together."
This is My Squad is Sergeant Major of the Army Michael A. Grinston’s initiative that aims to build cohesive teams at the squad level through trust and respect as well as empower noncommissioned officers in their role as leaders.
Charles emphasized how the competition also reinforced embodying the warrior spirit and an important goal to every competition.
"Winning. Winning matters," Charles said with a smile.
One competing crew knows the value of the This is My Squad approach to team building.
The 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team’s competing squad entered day three in fourth place, but with the strong bonds built amongst the team, they trust their chance of coming up in the ranks is achievable.
"This part is more team oriented," Spc. Caleb Nelson said. "We all know each other, we all work with each other, now we get to do more Soldier tasks instead of fixing a truck or a vehicle."
His team of wheeled vehicle mechanics took to the challenge of tasks and drills they are not exposed to daily; success in completing the events came from their shared mentality.
"We’re Soldiers first,” Nelson said. “No matter what your MOS (military occupational specialty), you're a Soldier first.”
The mentality of Soldier first rings true from the junior ranks all the way up to command sergeants major like Charles.
"I'm a CBRN Soldier, but that doesn't mean I can't low-crawl, fire, shoot, move and communicate," Charles said.
As the competition wrapped up, Charles said she is proud of how the Soldiers competed and looks forward to knowing which squad takes the top spot.
"I am very motivated looking at these young Soldiers doing great things," Charles said. "And I love the fact that this is a squad concept because they are working together as a team, and most importantly they are representing their units."
The winning squad will advance to compete in the III Corps Best Squad Competition later this year at Fort Hood, Texas. And perhaps able to say, with multiple meanings, and proudly: This is My Squad.
| Date Taken: | 04.21.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2022 19:14 |
| Story ID: | 419133 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 82 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Iron Warriors: How ‘This is My Squad’ makes winning teams, by SSG Quintin Gee, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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