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Story by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Wurm, Bravo Co.103rd Unit Public Affairs Historian/Representative
Photos by Sgt. Paul Evans, 103rd BSB Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representative
[caption id="attachment_6490" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Soldiers with Frankfort’s Co. B, 103rd Brigade Support Battalion conduct a tactical march uphill during training at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center on Saturday, March 5, 2011. The 3-mile march included training on how to handle enemy prisoners of war, building clearing techniques, spotting & reporting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide bombers, while stressing the importance of communication and teamwork."]
GREENVILLE, Ky., (April 20, 2011) – Today’s battlefield is ever changing. From desert landscapes to mountainous regions and urban settings, Soldiers of today must be prepared.
[caption id="attachment_6491" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Staff Sgt. Jeremy Wurm, Bravo Co., 103rd Brigade Support Battalion is "detained and searched" by fellow Soldiers during a training exercise conducted by B Co. at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center on Saturday, March 5, 2011."]
“We ask a lot from our Soldiers in our various types of missions,” said Capt. Justin Watts, Bravo Company, 103
rd Brigade Support Battalion commander.
“Providing training that is relevant, engaging and challenging whenever possible is key to the positive experience of being a Soldier as well as preparing them for combat readiness,” he said.
On a cold and wet day in March Soldiers of Bravo Co. converged on the training lanes of the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center for an exercise that evaluated certifications on numerous Army Warrior Tasks – the criteria all Soldiers must meet yearly.
[caption id="attachment_6467" align="alignright" width="153" caption="1st Sgt. John Black, Bravo Co. 103rd Brigade Support Battalion, consults with squad leaders on how they should approach a suspicious person during a training exercise at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky."]
Despite the rainy weather, the troops cleared buildings, learned how to properly treat enemy prisoners of war, react to and report improvised explosive devices and participated in a tactical road march.
“The exercise served as a challenging team building opportunity which provided necessary relief from Bravo Company’s usual mission of providing maintenance support on drill weekends,” said Sgt.1
st Class Joseph Mattingly, unit readiness non-commissioned officer.
According to 1
st Sgt. John Black inclement weather contributed positively to the training experience.
“The cold temperatures and the weather contributed to the success of our training,” he said. “I wanted to see who could remain proficient and motivated when the wind was slapping you in the face with cold rain." “It was a good test of how well the leadership responds when Soldiers are faced with stressful and miserable conditions.”