1-68 Armor fires first rounds in Poland

By Staff Sgt. Elizabeth TarrJanuary 16, 2017

Iron Brigade fires first rounds in Poland
1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division fuel up an M1A2 Main Battle Tank during the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozow, Poland, January 1... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Iron Brigade fires first rounds in Poland
2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, sits inside a M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle before conducting the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests in Swietozow, Poland, January... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Iron Brigade fires first rounds in Poland
3 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lt. Col. Stephen Capehart, commander of 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division fuels up an M1A2 Main Battle Tank during the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Iron Brigade fires first rounds in Poland
4 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A round is fired from a U.S. Army M1A2 tank belonging to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozow, Poland, Janua... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Iron Brigade fires first rounds in Poland
5 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A round is fired from an M1A2 Main Battle Tank belonging to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division during the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozow, Poland, Jan... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
1-68 Armor fires first rounds in Poland
6 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Three M1A2 Main Battle Tanks are staged prior to Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division conducting the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozow, Poland, January 16, 2017. The ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
1-68 Armor fires first rounds in Poland
7 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Marquavis Mitchell, tank commander assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division reads a manual on M1A2 Main Battle Tanks during the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
1-68 Armor fires first rounds in Poland
8 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Venn, platoon sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division speaks to his Soldiers before firing M1A2 Main Battle Tanks during the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
1-68 Armor fires first rounds in Poland
9 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Timothy Kinkade, a tank gunner assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division fuels up a M1A2 Main Battle Tanks during the first Live Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozow, Polan... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Zagan, Poland- Tank and Bradley crews from 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade, 4th Infantry Division conducted their first zero and Live-Fire Accuracy Screening Tests at Presidential Range in Swietozow, Poland, January 16.

After traveling approximately 6,400 miles, transporting 3,500 personnel, and 2,700 vehicles, 3rd ABCT is actively training to ensure their combat vehicles and crews are certified before deploying across Europe for use in training with partner nations.

According to Staff Sgt. William Gunther, battalion tank master gunner assigned to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division the Soldiers worked diligently, day and night, to ensure the tanks were off-loaded and properly maintained to be able to conduct the live-fire training.

Not only were they required to conduct proper preventive maintenance, checks and services, but the crews have to conduct gunnery skills testing including loading rounds, bore-sighting, fire drills and many others. And all of this has to be done in a compressed time-frame.

"If you look at the amount of time, we've only been on the ground less than ten days, and we're already conducting a live-fire accuracy screen table showing that we are building combat power rapidly and the speed of assembly that comes with it," said Lt. Col. Stephen Capehart, battalion commander for 1st Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.

The unit trained at their home station in Fort Carson, Colorado prior to a 30-day training rotation at the National Training Center in Fort Erwin, California to prepare for this mission.

"We have been training for this mission for the last year and I think it shows the agility of an armored brigade that can be able to push combat power forward, build it and get it out here firing within ten days," said Capehart. "It's amazing to be able to see that and the support that we've received at echelon made this happen."

According to Capehart, within the next month, his battalion will be positioned in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia training alongside multinational allies.

"Readiness doesn't end, we will build combat power, get validated, get ready to fight and then continue the mission," he said.

The arrival of 4th ID marks the start of back-to-back rotations of armored brigades in Europe as part of Atlantic Resolve. This rotation will enhance deterrence capabilities in the region, improve the U.S. ability to respond to potential crises and defend allies and partners in the European community. U.S. forces will focus on strengthening capabilities and sustaining readiness through bilateral and multinational training and exercises.