War Paint Troopers host special guest during gunnery

By U.S. ArmyNovember 15, 2016

War Paint Troopers host special guest during gunnery
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Jason Gamble shows retired Maj. Gen. Larry Budge how to put together a MRE beef patty sandwich while they observe scout platoons from 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment qualify on Bradley Gunnery Table XII at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Nov... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
War Paint Troopers host special guest during gunnery
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Retired Maj. Gen. Larry Budge and Lt. Col. Christopher Mahaffey, the commander for 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, observe as scout platoons from the squadron qualify on Bradley Gunnery Table XII at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Nov. 7. (U.S. Army Photo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
War Paint Troopers host special guest during gunnery
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – An Apache helicopter from 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade joins a scout platoon of Bradley Fighting Vehicles from 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment Nov. 7 for their Gunnery Table XII at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The gun... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

(FORT STEWART, Georgia) The Troopers from 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment had a special visitor for their Gunnery Table XII at Fort Stewart, Georgia Nov. 7.

Retired Maj. Gen. Larry Budge, who commanded the squadron's Company C in Vietnam in 1966, was on hand to observe the scout platoons qualify while visiting with the squadron's Troopers.

"This was a good opportunity to show [Maj. Gen. Budge] how much the squadron equipment and tactics have grown since the Vietnam Era," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Gamble, a platoon sergeant in the squadron.

As part of his visit, Budge also saw a static display of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and had an MRE lunch with some of the Troopers.

The gunnery table incorporated the squadron's organic 120mm mortars and an Attack Weapons Team from 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment.

The gunnery table qualifies the squadron's platoons as they continue to build readiness in preparation for the 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team's upcoming spring rotation to the National Training Center.

"As the squadron focuses on building training readiness, this gunnery was a great opportunity to challenge our Troopers and get better at the crew and platoon level," said Lt. Col. Christopher Mahaffey, the commander for 5th Sqdn., 7th Cav. Rgmt. "We also built relationships with the attack reconnaissance squadron of 3-17 CAV. This relationship will pay big dividends as we prepare to fight and win at NTC."

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1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division