Bridging the Gap

Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Eaddy | Soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), execute a wet gap crossing with the 502nd Multi-Role Bridge Company, 19th Engineering Battalion on Fort Knox, KY, April 28, 2022. The purpose of this mission was to allow the bridging company to meet their training objective while helping the Iron Rakkasans shorten the distance to their next training objective. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Eaddy)  

FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

04.28.2022

Story by Staff Sgt. Michael Eaddy 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

FORT KNOX, KY – What does it mean to lend a helping hand to a friend in need? If it means mission success, it can help a lot more people than just a friend.

Soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) partnered with the 502nd Multi-Role Bridge Company, 19th Engineer Battalion out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, to accomplish their training mission objectives when the 3-187th needed a bridge to help cross a wet gap in the Fort Knox training area April 28, 2022.

“The mission here was to get the battalion from one side of the training area to the other,” said Maj. Andrew Murphree, operations officer for 3-187, 3BCT. “We had two options and that was to go a really long way around the training area, or we try to utilize a bridge to get across a wet gap.”

During this mission the Iron Rakkasans were able to use a seven-float bridge with two ramps that was able to be dropped into place, close the wet gap, and allow the Soldiers, and their vehicles, to cross safely in just four hours without the need of any rafts to assist in the mission.

“3-187th reached out to us and we had to figure out what their intent was for getting across the river and how they wanted their training to go so we could fit in a tactically sound cross training with them,” said 1st Lt. Zachary Hering, company executive officer for the 502nd MRBC. “After we developed three different courses of action, the battalion chose to action a tactical crossing for their battalion to cross the wet gap.”

3BCT executed a tactical movement to Fort Knox, Kentucky, as part of the decentralized division training density in late April.

The purpose of this training was to place units in dispersed field environments in order to enhance readiness, while stressing communications and sustainment systems across extended distances.

With the help of the 502nd MRBC and their bridge, the Iron Rakkasans were able to cut down the time of their foot march from the Northside of the training area to the Southside while moving their vehicles through as well.

“3rd Brigade was great to work with,” said Pfc. Williams, an Army bridge crewmember with the 502nd MRBC, 19th EN BN. “Getting to talk with the command teams from the 101st about our bridge and having them see their guys cross our bridge was great.”

• Date Taken: 04.28.2022
• Date Posted: 05.03.2022 18:45
• Story ID: 419878
• Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US
• Hometown: CLARKSVILLE, TN, US
• Hometown: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US
• Hometown: FORT CAMPBELL, TN, US