Hidden behind clusters of yellow and purple flowers, a squad from 2nd Platoon, C Company, crouched in cover and concealment. A squad leader signaled that his teams were ready.

Seconds later, a smoke bomb flew through the air and hit the ground, exploding into green, smoky cover for the breaching element that cut the wire on the enemy compound, allowing the rest of the platoon to charge through.

Soldiers of 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment conducted a platoon live-fire certification June 22 on a Joint Base Lewis-McChord training range in preparation for their deployment to an exotic location.

As the last phase of training for the platoon before deploying to Singapore to participate in Exercise Tiger Balm, a bilateral training exercise partnering U.S. and Singaporean Soldiers, the live-fire exercise provided an opportunity for the platoon to build stronger bonds and hone its members' soldier skills.

"The purpose of the exercise is to evaluate our ability to operate not just as a platoon, but combined, using our internal and external assets such as mortars and our scouts and snipers from battalion and integrating them into our planning and execution of the mission," said Sgt. Dustin Carden, a 2nd Plt. squad leader.

The deployment provides an opportunity for the platoon to work with an allied nation's military force.

"We are going over there to augment a Singaporean infantry company," said 1st Lt. Nathan Gadberry, whose 2nd Platoon will take part in C Company's assault on a mounted objective in an urban area.

"We're also there to help refine (standard operating procedures) on mounted operations with their Terrex vehicles," he said. "It's their equivalent to a Stryker."

Sergeant Joseph MacDonald, a squad leader in the platoon, said he views the training in Singapore as a valuable learning experience for his unit.

"We'll see what they know that we don't know or how they do something differently as well as them being able to learn from us," he said.

As part of certification for Singapore, the battalion commander observed the platoon throughout its entire training mission and evaluated its effectiveness in performing combat tasks.

However, he wasn't the only one watching.

Everyone in the platoon's chain of command, from the company commander to the brigade commander, came out to observe the live-fire exercise.

MacDonald said the pressure of being so closely scrutinized during a certification was an important part of the experience.

"The point is to be stressed out and to be pushed out of your element so they are able to see how you react and what decisions you make when everything is on you," he said.

MacDonald's squad was the breaching element and cut the concertina wire surrounding the simulated enemy compound, clearing the way for Carden's squad to spearhead the assault.

"There's nothing better than a live-fire to help build confidence, especially in these younger Soldiers," Carden said.

Private Jordan Bautch, a driver, gained confidence in his ability to operate his Stryker vehicle.

Bautch recently earned his Stryker license and spent the preparation period leading up to the live-fire practicing his driver skills.

Following the brigade's Expert Infantryman Badge testing in April, an event based on completing individual tasks, it took Bautch time to transition back to team missions.

"It was a lot more stressful, honestly, because before, you've just got yourself to worry about," he said. "Now I'm (worrying) about everyone in the truck."

While in recent years most Soldiers' first deployments have been to a combat zone, Bautch, who said he never even left the Midwest until he joined the Army, will travel to Singapore.

"I'm pumped for it," he said. "I want to go see different countries; that's one of the reasons I joined the Army."