SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII -- They are the oldest combat arms branch in the Army, and training to defeat America's enemies is a vital task for an infantryman. It is one of the most physically and psychologically demanding specialties in the Army and the Soldiers of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment are up for the task.
To keep their skills sharp, these 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Soldiers must constantly train on basic infantry tactics to keep the upper hand on the battlefield. For this reason, Charlie Company Soldiers participated in a squad live fire exercise Sept. 21-23.
"We are working the fundamentals at the squad level," said Capt. Brendan McCormick, Charlie Company 2-27 Commander. "Our guys will get comfortable with moving with their weapons over long distances."
The missions were broken down by squad in efforts to challenge young leaders during stressful circumstances. As a result, this will build lethal platoons and ultimately make the company stronger.
"When we have strong building blocks at the lowest levels we will have a good foundation to continue to grow as a team," said McCormick, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The commander wanted to ensure young leaders are proficient in all their tasks, confident that they're progressing and have the ability to adapt to different situations.
"I hope after these three days they walk away challenged, feeling confident as infantrymen, but also knowing they have things they need to work on," said McCormick.
Perhaps, one of the biggest challenges was the routes to the missions through steep hills, dense woods and thick underbrush. This was very demanding on their bodies and these missions were performed both day and night.
"The more training we do the better prepared we are to engage the enemy," said Sgt. 1st Class Roberto Zuniga, platoon sergeant and a native of Laredo, Texas. "The Soldiers are getting great training, especially in this environment and terrain."
The squad completed numerous tasks such as reacting to contact, medical evaluation, and tactical movements. Some of the squads were newly formed and this gave leaders a chance to see their Soldiers in action.
"You can see the mindset of your guys and how tactical they're going to be on the battlefield, said Staff Sgt. Josaiah Milo, a Charlie Company squad leader. A majority of these Soldiers have never deployed before and this will give them a better understanding."
Milo feels this training in vital to his squad's future missions and was very pleased with the abilities of his team leaders and Soldiers.
"I know my squad did very well, said Milo, a Kalihi native. I always like to leave the range flawless but that will never happen. There always room for improvement."
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