By Sgt. Brian Tierce
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Being the Commander or Command Sgt. Maj. of a Squadron or Battalion sized element means there is a lot of traveling involved. So it also means you get a security detail that are trained and prepared to protect you at all cost.
For a group of select Soldiers of the 5th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment of the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division training at Camp Buehring, Kuwait the importance of this mission was brought home by a three day exercise which taught the principles of keeping the Command staff out of harm's way.
"It was really great training, we learned a lot of things that we had not thought about before," said Pfc. Ryan Weeks, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 5-4 CAV, of Falls Church, Va., "It also reinforced some of the principles we learned at the national training center and during training at Fort Riley," said weeks.
The training consisted of a three day process which took place in the field to bring more realism to the scenario.
"The first day focused a lot on mounted maneuvers and learning to keep the commanders vehicle safe," said Pfc. Irving Argon, HHT, 5-4 CAV of Riverside, Calif. "As a gunner I have to be constantly aware, you have to be sharp and alert, "said Argon.
The second day of the course focused on Soldiers dismounting their vehicles and learning not only close quarter's marksmanship techniques but also advanced marksmanship techniques which are crucial when operating in an urban environment.
"The training did a good job of getting my adrenaline flowing, it gives you a chance to build confidence in the Soldiers around you and build cohesion, "added Weeks.
The third day of training put the Soldiers to the test by putting them in situations where they had to apply what they had learned in the previous days training in an intense training situation.
"The third day of training is where it all comes together. It is where we apply all the lessons learned in a worst case scenario, it turned out to be very good training," said Argon.
With just a matter of weeks to train in Kuwait prior to moving into Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom Soldiers of 5-4 CAV know that these types of training events could make all the difference in successfully completing their mission in Iraq.
"The training was a great experience, not just for me but for everyone who attended, "said Weeks. "We all train well together, they're my brothers and I wouldn't have it any other way."