FORT CARSON, Colo. — Spc. Kelvin Hunter, an unmanned aircraft systems repairer from Quincy, Florida, assigned to Delta Company, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, retrieves an RQ-7 Shadow after it returned from a training flight June 13, 2020, at Fort Carson. Soldiers with 1st SBCT completed the training as part of a brigadewide training event to prepare for future operations and Army requirements. (Photo by Capt. Daniel Parker)
By Capt. Daniel Parker
1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
FORT CARSON, Colo. — A Soldier with Bravo Company, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, operates a T-9 medium dozer June 10, 2020, at Fort Carson.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, trained and tested its units, Soldiers and capabilities June 9-17, 2020, during Operation Ray Flash.
The exercise served as a culminating training event for the brigade in preparation for training at the National Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California.
“The training was designed for multiple lines of operations,” said Maj. William (Bill) Yang, field artillery officer and executive officer, 1st SBCT.
The event included company situational tactical exercises (STX), engagement area development, sustainment operations, medical operations, command post training, a company live-fire exercise and multiple other collective tasks.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Spc. Celestino Loyahernandez, an infantryman with Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, remains ready to begin a nighttime company-level live fire exercise June 11, 2020, at Fort Carson.
“All of this is keyed in to prepare us for the unexpected at NTC,” said Yang. “The idea is, if we make it strenuous and intense enough now, our Soldiers will be conditioned to be successful at NTC.”
Yang and his staff were not the only Soldiers and leaders who benefited from Operation Ray Flash. Individual Soldiers also benefited from the quality training.
At the brigade support area, the central location for brigade sustainment, Soldiers provided critical sustainment and medical support to the brigade’s operations.
“This is the first time that a lot of us medics have gotten real hands-on training with our (field litter ambulances),” said Spc. Jacob Caldwell, combat medic with Charlie Company., 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st SBCT.
Caldwell also acknowledged that Ray Flash served to prepare him for the upcoming rotation to NTC.
“Not being in our comfort zone with the Strykers, having to utilize these FLAs, I think a lot of that will go a long way to preparing us for NTC,” said Caldwell.
Another Soldier said he looks forward to missions at NTC because of the preparation during Operation Ray Flash.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Spc. Tyler Fernandez, a geospatial intelligence imagery analyst with Delta Company, 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, completes vehicle dispatch paperwork June 9, 2020, in preparation for Operation Ray Flash. (Photo by Sgt. Gabrielle Weaver)
“We are working out kinks in our system and the way we operate, which is going to help us support other units when we do get to NTC,” said Spc. Jeffrey Diaz, an unmanned aircraft systems repairer assigned to Delta Company., 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div.
Operation Ray Flash was the final brigade-level training exercise prior to Raider Brigade’s upcoming rotation to NTC in August.
“I can’t wait to really get this going and do missions at NTC,” said Diaz.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Sgt. Matthew Underwood with Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, resets an M777 howitzer June 13, 2020, during Operation Ray Flash at Fort Carson.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — An M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle from 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, maneuvers through a training area June 10, 2020, on Fort Carson. (Photo by Capt. Daniel Parker)
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Soldiers with 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, maneuver vehicles June 14, 2020, during Operation Ray Flash at Fort Carson. (Photo by Sgt. Gabrielle Weaver)
FORT CARSON, Colo. — An M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle from Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, maneuvers through training area after a company-level live fire exercise June 11, 2020, at Fort Carson. (Photo by Capt. Daniel Parker)
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Soldiers with 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, move vehicles into position during a platoon situational training exercise June 12, 2020, at Fort Carson. (Photo by Capt. Daniel Parker)