CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - "Ready to Fight Tonight" -- that's the posture Third Army Soldiers are expected to maintain at all times. Whether it is reacting to indirect fire, providing medical aid to a fellow Warrior or accurately firing a weapon system, Third Army Soldiers are trained and ready to execute any Warrior task or skill at a moment's notice.
In the command's latest push to ensure its Warriors are ready to react to any threat and defeat any enemy in its 20-country area of responsibility, Lt. Gen. William G. Webster, Third Army commanding general, gathered commanders and staff members at Camp Arifjan Dec. 4 and 5 for "Granite Shield Readiness Review."
Granite Shield pulls together under one name all of the things Soldiers and commanders are doing to be prepared for potential threats and attacks. It encompasses the readiness of individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen assigned to Third Army, collective training, leader training, cyber readiness, crisis response teams, command post readiness and other types of readiness. Sister services serving alongside Third Army in Kuwait also participated in the Granite Shield Readiness Review.
"We owe it to our Soldiers and to the nation to ensure we are prepared for what our current and potential enemies may want to do to us," said Lt. Gen. Webster.
In addition to sustaining operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn, Third Army has the mission of being able to provide support across the full spectrum of operations anywhere in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility. In the result of any crisis in the region, Third Army is likely to be among the first responders.
In light of this important responsibility, Third Army strives to maintain its readiness.
Readiness and team work are the keys to success of any mission, according to Lt. Gen. Webster.
Readiness in all aspects will result in successful missions, said Lt. Gen. Webster. Emphasizing team work, he also said, "If we build and maintain a strong team, I believe we can accomplish anything."
As teams and individuals, Third Army Soldiers continue to train and hone their skills every day through a combination of individual and collective tasks.
"Our strength as Third Army Soldiers and leaders is in our preparedness," said Sgt. Maj. William Hagzan, Third Army personnel and strength management sergeant major and native of Kings Park, New York. "The training our Soldiers receive ensures they are ready to fight anywhere as an expeditionary force," he added.
At the conclusion of the Granite Shield Readiness Review, Third Army leaders were instructed to build on past successes and to push their Soldiers to greater heights in all aspects of readiness in the coming months.
Social Sharing