“Our mission here is to get our brigade ready to be certified to deploy anywhere in the world.”
— Maj. Kevin L. Boyd
By Spc. Anthony Bryant
14th Public Affairs Detachment
Spc. Nathan Gonzalez, left, and Spc. Destiny M. Sparacino, Stryker systems maintainers, Company I, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, reconnect an engine after replacing the transfer case on a Stryker during the combined arms live-fire exercise at Fort Carson March 9, 2017. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)
The fine dust of Fort Carson’s ranges hung in the air as Stryker crews hurriedly zoomed from place to place, kicking up dirt, as rehearsals went on. In the distance, the sound of helicopters flying overhead and the boom of howitzer rounds provided an auditory background to the busy combined arms training being held.
Soldiers from 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, participated in the combined arms live-fire exercise (CALFEX) from Feb. 21, 2017, to March 24, 2017, on Fort Carson.
The CALFEX prepares Soldiers for future operations by honing 1st SBCT’s ability to integrate all organizational pieces together when assaulting a single objective.
The brigade consists of 10 battalions — the standard three infantry battalions and cavalry, field artillery, engineer, aviation and support battalions.
“We have a unique mission where we have additional battalions in our brigade that a normal brigade does not have,” said Maj. Kevin L. Boyd, chief of operations, 1st SBCT. “Our mission here is to get our brigade ready to be certified to deploy anywhere in the world. So, we’ve got to learn how to use them and they’ve got to learn how to work with us.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Charles W. Tennant, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, pulls the lanyard on the M777 howitzer, launching a 95-pound, 155 mm heat round down range with the cannon crewmembers of Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., during the combined arms live-fire exercise at Fort Carson March 9, 2017. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)
The 19-day CALFEX integrates unmanned aerial vehicles, cyber, intelligence, communication, fire support and aviation assets into day-to-day combat operations. The brigade brings all its combat multipliers to bear.
The CALFEX gets all battalions used to working together in combined arms maneuvers within a complex tactical environment, Boyd said. A platoon leader and a noncommissioned officer who know how to control their platoon or squad on infantry maneuvers now must control their respective elements using a Stryker platform, mortars and aviation.
There are 4,500 Soldiers in the “Raider” Brigade. According to Boyd, junior leaders are empowered to make their own decisions and their leadership, in turn, supports that decision as long it doesn’t result in injury. Junior leaders are then encouraged to learn from those decisions, good or bad.
Command Sgt. Maj. Charles W. Tennant, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, speaks with the cannon crewmembers of Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., during the “Raider” Brigade combined arms live-fire exercise at Fort Carson March 9, 2017. Tennant traveled the area of operations to meet with 1st SBCT soldiers and observe training. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)
Standing by are the artillerymen waiting for the call to load 95-pound, 155 mm heat rounds into an M777 howitzer. As the “King of Battle,” artillery plays a key role in brigade maneuvers, providing long-range firepower to front-line military units.
Sgt. Anthony R. Yannarella, cannon crewmember, Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st SBCT, maneuvered alongside the infantry as a howitzer section chief. His seven-man section moved right behind the Strykers when they’d breach. When the infantry reached the breach site, his team occupied and waited for rounds, providing fire support when necessary.
The purpose of the CALFEX is to bring different assets together to gain experience and confidence in working together as a team.
Infantrymen from Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, ground guide Strykers to a staging area as part of the “Raider” Brigade combined arms live-fire exercise March 9, 2017. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)
A field training exercise is the time when a section synergizes as a cohesive team, said Yannarella. This is when he gets comfortable with his section, when he learns the individual strengths and weaknesses of his crewmembers and fixes the weaknesses through training. Field training is where the section comes to learn their job.
“I love my job,” said Yannarella. “You get real close to the Soldiers, especially coming out here to the field. It’s a great job.”
Up next for the “Raider” Brigade is the Raider Focus exercise at Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site this spring followed by a summer rotation at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California.
Infantrymen from Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, ground guide Strykers to a staging area as part of the “Raider” Brigade combined arms live-fire exercise March 9, 2017. (Photo by Spc. Anthony Bryant)