Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Forester | Lt. Col. Mary Durham presents British Lt. Gen. Jonathan Riley, the group's host and...... read more read more
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NORMANDY, France - The 773d Civil Support Team, 7th Mission Support Command hosted a staff ride, taking 21 Soldiers to the historical sites of Operation Overlord and the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France, 18 July, 2022.
“Our commander layed out her objectives for the staff ride,” said Lt. Col. Blair Heath, the 773d’s medical officer and the staff ride organizer. “The role of mission command, interoperability within our team and with our partner nations, and to show our appreciation for D-Day and how these things resulted in the success of the mission.”
The team observed defensive fighting positions at Omaha Beach, analyzed avenues of approach at Pointe du Hoc and paid their respects at the Normandy American Cemetery. The group learned about the German vengeance missiles and visited the site of a weapons storage facility, Sottevast, codenamed Reservelager West, which sits on a family farm in rural France. "Our mission is to respond to weapons of mass destruction and CBRNE agents across Europe,” said Lt. Col. Mary Durham, the 773 commander. “It’s vital that our Soldiers develop the ability to assess a situation quickly and adapt to any changes in the operational environment.”
Between monuments and battlefields, the 773d got after another goal – interoperability and connecting with their team, building a stronger CST. Staff Sgt. Ryan Ramos, a unit medic, took advantage of the opportunity to intermingle with the survey team. “Each section has their role to play and we often compartmentalize into our shops,” said Ramos. “We were able to establish a level of trust… what we experienced this week on a personal level will impact how we operate on a professional level.”
“Eisenhower was considered the master of getting everyone to work together,” said Heath. “ Our unit specifically works with a lot of NATO partners, we do a lot of military to military engagements…gaining an appreciation for that from a D-Day perspective was invaluable.”
Staff rides provide many opportunities, from expanding unit knowledge of military strategy and planning to the importance of mission command and the need for cohesive teams. Understanding these principles is essential for mission success.
“Building a strong unit culture takes the right leadership and opportunities,” said Durham. “Visiting Normandy allowed us to spend more time together as people and not just as Soldiers.”
| Date Taken: | 07.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 07.27.2022 09:29 |
| Story ID: | 425881 |
| Location: | NORMANDY, CALVADOS, FR |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Gaining Historical Perspective, by SFC Jessica Forester, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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