FORT BENNING, Ga., (May 25, 2016) -- Armor lieutenants in Class 16-005, currently in week 10 of the 19-week Armor Basic Officer Leader Course of the 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 199th Infantry Brigade, conducted M1A2 Abrams Tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle practical platform training May 18.
Still new to the Army, this is the first exposure these lieutenants have with these vehicle platforms as part of the multiechelon leader development that will shape them into physically fit, mentally agile and technically proficient leaders.
"I'd have to say the targeting systems and the electronics in it are just incredible, especially (when) going through ROTC, all we got was an M4 and M16 with iron sights. So going on the lethality of that sort of platform (Bradley Fighting Vehicle) with all its optics, its range and its cannon, it's a very different experience," said 2nd Lt. Charles Clouse of the Virginia Army National Guard.
The second lieutenants receive five days of practical platform instruction on the M1A2 Abrams Tank as well as five days of practical platform instruction on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle before testing their proficiency in the gunnery skills test in preparation for the live fire exercises later on in the course. In conjunction with this, lieutenants receive simulation training on the advanced gunnery training system for the Abrams and the Conduct of Fire Trainer-Situational Awareness simulation trainer for the Bradley.
The practical and simulation training gives the lieutenants a basic understanding of the technical and tactical aspects of the vehicle platforms and the stations on each platform that crew members operate.
"We give them an overall understanding of each (station). We cover each station so they get an idea of how to operate and function in each," said Sgt. 1st Class Wayne Stookey, senior tank instructor.
The 19-week course is packed with instruction separated into three phases designed to provide the Army with confident, competent and agile armor officers capable of conducting unified land operations as part of a combined arms team, said Capt. Laz Oliva, operations officer.
"It's pretty in depth. It's pretty comprehensive. So far we have been here every day just learning the platform capabilities, technically and then in terms of the structure of the Abrams itself," said 2nd Lt. Kyle Roe of the Oregon Army National Guard.
Upon graduating, the lieutenants will move on to their assigned units and become platoon leaders.
"It's a very good way for them to learn, from the bottom all the way to the top because they have to know, especially when they become platoon leaders, what their crew actually does on the tank ... when they tell their driver or their loader to go do something, they can say 'yes, I know what you are doing, I've done it before.' You wouldn't ask someone to do something that you haven't done yourself," said Stookey.
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