FORT CAMPBELL, Ky., March 8, 2012--Explosions scorched the land as dozens of Soldiers scurried to the next brush, riddling their positions with brass shells from their weapons.
Leaders shouted above the chain of gunshots, while radio operators called to the rear for support, all-the-while keeping their heads low and a constant barrage on their intended targets.
Despite weather conditions and the hazards surrounding Observation Post 13, the platoon-sized elements performed their live fire exercise together for the first time Feb. 27 through March 2.
The combined effort of four battalions within the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, executed a well-planned training exercise involving coordinated effort between artillery, air support and ground troops.
"Today, it was what we called a brigade walk and shoot," said Capt. Tye L. Reedy, commander of Company C, 2nd battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT. "It exercised the integration of direct and indirect fire."
Adding as much realism to the training helps keep a sense of urgency and stress that tests Soldiers competency, professionalism and skills.
Previously training with virtual battle systems, the Soldiers noticed a marked difference with their abilities and their confidence.
"It's important so that we can have cover fire for our units," said Pvt. Richard Senn, a forward observer and radio telephone operator with the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT. "Basically when our rounds hit, it really makes the enemy know somebody is coming and we can get their heads down fast. To train up we used a computer simulator that teaches us how to adjust our rounds.
"It's been about two weeks since our last simulator," continued Senn. "We do simulators at least once a month. It's very effective.
"It actually lets you see when you make a mistake with adjustments, it will show you how it goes off so you not wasting rounds; spending money that we don't need to," Senn added.
However, the training done with the simulator was first put to the test in another area.
"We've gone through the whole training progression; through individual Soldiers skills to team live fires to squad exercises and squad live fires, when No Slack [2-327th] battalion went to Fort Knox, Ky.," said Reedy.
"We had the whole battalion up there and brought all the squads through that because the terrain is a little bit more diverse up at Knox," continued Reedy. "So we stressed our guys that way, then we came here."
Reedy noted it was a bumpy ride to their current skill but it's a cycle most units deal with after a deployment.
"I've been through a few deployments now but every time it's the same when you come back," said Reedy. "Key leaders, they are getting up in rank, up in time and they've had multiple deployments so they come down on orders.
"You lose a lot of that knowledge base when you come back from a deployment. Same thing happened to No Slack in May of 2011," he said. "You bring all these new Soldiers and new leaders in, you got to reform those bonds, the trust and the training.
"I think we have progressed exponentially up until now," continued Reedy. "This was a successful training event. I saw the camaraderie build because we were all successful at the same time and we were all focused on one company effort; one mission. And we were able to achieve success."
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