402nd Field Artillery Brigade promotes esprit de corps with Organization Day

By Sgt. Richard Hernandez, 402nd Field Artillery Brigade, Division West, Public AffairsJuly 2, 2012

402nd Field Artillery Brigade promotes esprit de corps with Organization Day
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
402nd Field Artillery Brigade promotes esprit de corps with Organization Day
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
402nd Field Artillery Brigade promotes esprit de corps with Organization Day
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers in the 2/362nd Field Artillery Battalion, background, play volleyball against Soldiers in the 3/410th Engineer Battalion during the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade's Organization Day at Fort Bliss, Texas, June 7. (Photo by Sgt. Richard Hernand... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BLISS, Texas -- To promote esprit de corps, the Soldiers of the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade held their annual Organization Day at Biggs Park June 7.

Soldiers were given the day off of their regular work activities to bring their Families to the event and enjoy food, games and activities throughout the day.

Organization Day brought together Soldiers from the brigade's Headquarters and Headquarter Battery, as well as from three subordinate battalions, all stationed at Fort Bliss. The event allowed the Soldiers to get to know one another and build stronger unit and brigade cohesion, as well as allowing the brigade to show Families they are appreciated for supporting their servicemembers.

Soldiers and Family members competed against each other in volleyball and tug-of-war competitions to take home trophies and bragging rights.

The 402nd Headquarters and Headquarter Battery won both events and were presented trophies by Col. Kirk Nilsson, 402nd Field Artillery Brigade commander, at the end of the day.

Children of the Soldiers had opportunities to win trophies while competing in activities such as water balloon tosses and musical chairs. Children also raced in a "battle rattle relay," in which they wore a Kevlar helmet and interceptor body armor vest and ran from one point to another. Children also played "chipping," in which the player earns points by hitting a golf ball with a golf club and trying to land it in a huge circle painted on the ground.

"Everyone had a lot of fun, and my kids are so [active] they kept busy the whole time, which is good for a two-year-old and a four-year-old," said Krista Sinclair, wife of Maj. Marc Sinclair, the brigade's personnel officer.

Attendees ate a catered meal of burgers and fries from Fuddruckers, with plenty of refreshments donated by the battalions.

The tastiest challenge of the day was the dessert competition. It was his favorite activity, said 1st Lt. Chester Perez, 3/410 Engineer Battalion, since he was a judge and got to try a lot of delicious desserts.

Organization Day really brings Soldiers together and helps build friendships between the units, Perez said.

"It does, especially with the sporting events. It's a good team building event," Perez said. "It gets the Soldiers to work together, it's fun, it's entertaining and it's all for a good cause."

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