FORT BENNING, Ga. -- The advent of spring at Fort Benning not only brought bright azaleas and the green leaf tips to the forest undergrowth, but it brought the largest re-organization effort to the Maneuver Center of Excellence since 2013 as well.
The 3rd Squadron of the 16th U.S. Cavalry Regiment unfurled four new guidons with the reactivation of Troops M, N, and P as well as Company D of the 4th Ranger Training Battalion in a ceremony held March 12 at Camp Cornett at Harmony Church at Fort Benning.
The 316th Cavalry Brigade, 199th Leader Brigade, and the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade realigned functional training courses within their proponent U.S. Army Armor School and U.S. Army Infantry School headquarters. The realignment seeks to improve the student leaders in order to sharpen the core competencies required to fight and win in a complex world.
Lt. Col. Jeff Barta, the squadron commander, was joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Carvet Tate in presiding over the ceremony.
"Cavalry squadrons are adept at rapidly attaching and detaching units when the mission," said Barta, "and changing battlefield conditions require it."
The new Maverick Troop, led by Capt. Steven Northrop and 1st Sgt. Dereck Ates, cased the blue guidon from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment. The Troop has oversight of the U.S. Army Master Gunner School, with its seven courses: Simulations Training Management, Tank Commander Course, Mobile Gun System Commanders Course, Master Gunner Common Core, Stryker, Bradley, and the Abrams Master Gunner Courses. The courses provide students the ultimate technical and tactical expertise to make the Army ready to fight.
Hawk Troop became Navajo Troop with a new mission. Carrying forward a proud history with Vietnam lineage, this unit was a separate Air Cavalry Troop in the independent Army of the Republic of Vietnam battlespace. For the past year and a half they provided the entire squadron with institutional support. Now under the Navajo guidon, led by Capt. Matt Strasser and 1st Sergeant Erik Andresen, this troop will oversee the new Maneuver Leaders Maintenance Course and the Abrams, Stryker, and Field Maintenance New Equipment Training Teams which assure combat power readiness.
Phantom Troop was re-activated for the first time since 2009. Now commanded by Capt. Lance Rae and 1st Sergeant Lyle Avis, this unit hosts the Army's Department of Reconnaissance and Security with oversight of the Cavalry Leaders Course and the Army Reconnaissance Course. They will soon play a major role in leading this year's Gainey Cup, International Best Scout Squad competition.
Delta Company was re-activated and is now commanded by Capt. Anthony Capozzi and Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Mullins. They lead the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course which will return to the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade.
The Squadron also bid farewell to the Department of Subterranean Operations, the Small Unmanned Aerial System (SUAS) Master Trainer Course and two Platoons of opposing force (OPFOR) Soldiers that will all move to the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 199th Infantry Brigade.
Now with three new Troop headquarters, the 3rd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, educates leaders to join their units ready to apply their new skills and ultimately improve Army readiness from the crew to brigade combat team.
Said Barta of the reorganization:
"It's now this squadron that tells the Army where it's going and makes it ready to fight when it gets there."
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