'Quarterhorse' squadron builds readiness, experience

By Capt. Jonathan CamireFebruary 26, 2018

usa image
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle crews with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, complete their live-fire iteration during a combined-arms, live-fire exercise at Fort Riley training area Ja... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
usa image
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – An M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle crew with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, completes their live-fire iteration during combined-arms, live-fire exercise at a Fort Riley training area... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Throughout January and February, Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, have been deployed to the Fort Riley training area focusing on unit training objectives and building readiness.

The "Quarterhorse" squadron deployed with two main training objectives -- execute mission command systems and build experience through qualified gun crews, said Lt. Col. Brian Gilbert, commander of 1st Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt.

"This was the first opportunity for the squadron as a whole to execute mission command systems and exercise the systems to maintain and sustained the squadron," Gilbert said. "I was impressed with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop and Forward Support Company at executing mission command and sustaining the squadron."

The troop's objectives were to train qualified gun crews and increase the experience for new Soldiers, many of crew gunners and vehicle commanders within the squadron have never participated in qualification gunnery, Gilbert said.

"Soldiers came out of the training qualified with more experience and better trained, increasing the squadron's overall readiness," he said.

Throughout the training, vehicle crews learned how to maneuver, platoon leaders learned how to fight with their platoons and platoon sergeants learned how to manage ammo and conduct casualty evacuation, Gilbert said.

"The time in the field was a good experience for the Troopers," said Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Clark, platoon sergeant, Troop C, 1st Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt. "Troopers gained more experience training on putting live rounds downrange and maneuvering the vehicles versus the simulator."

Sgt. 1st Class Clark's platoon has spent more than 130 hours in the Bradley Fighting Vehicle simulators, he said.

"While this is my second combined-arms, live-fire exercise (and) I am learning more about maneuvering the Bradley," said Spc. Elywnn Bright, Bradley Fighting Vehicle driver for Troop A, 1st Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt., from Hope, Arkansas. "This (training) allows the crew the chance to fire live rounds and qualify our crew."

The Troopers of Quarterhorse squadron are scheduled to complete their combined-arms, live-fire exercise at the end of February.