FORT STEWART, Ga. - Engineer Soldiers of Company B, 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division executed Bad Stakes training lanes at Fort Stewart, Ga., March. 1-3.
Bad Stakes training lanes evaluated proficiency of common Soldier tasks and engineer skills, such as obstacle emplacement, testing communication systems, patrol base operations and assembly of two rope bridges. Squads competed to complete the course and be awarded with the "Bad Stakes" trophy.
"During the Bad Stakes, squads participate in team building squad competition," said 1st Lt. Brendan Ward, officer in charge of the range with Company B. "This builds teamwork and cohesion within the squads, as well as motivation."
In preparation for Bad Stakes, each squad was given an outline of events and the standard that they would be graded. This allowed squads to identify weaknesses and tailor training to address needs independently.
"The squads worked together to identify the training needs after being provided with the expectations for the competition," Ward said.
Soldiers, outfitted with armor, weapons systems and 60-pound ruck sacks, navigated to six training sites and executed required tasks as squads. Distance between each training site ranged from a few hundred meters to two miles, according to Sgt. Mark Walters, squad leader, Company B.
At each training location, squads were evaluated in accordance with Army doctrine standard for the assigned engineer and Soldier tasks.
"For example, the standard for a two rope bridge is 45 minutes," Ward explained. Each squad is required to effectively construct the bridge within this time."
Safety was the responsibility of all Soldiers and strictly enforced at the Bad Stakes training.
"Just as always, [noncommissioned officers] are responsible for supervising Soldiers; however, everyone is a safety patrol officer here," said Sgt. 1st Class Augusto Pinpiro, noncommissioned officer in charge of the range, Company B.
Upon the completion of the training event, each squad was evaluated by company leaders on their performance and one squad was presented as the Bad Stakes champions.
"I am very proud that my squad won the competition," said Sgt. Joseph Fortin, squad leader, Company B. "However, Bad Stakes overall was a successful training event for all of the squads. Each Soldier was challenged mentally and physically and overcame obstacles as a cohesive team."
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