YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER - The 864th Engineer Battalion is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan early in 2010. To get ready, the battalion spent the last two weeks training in the cold of Yakima Training Center.

The 864th's primary mission in Afghanistan will be to build the infrastructure necessary to support brigade combat teams in the area. The first BCT the engineers expect to support downrange is Fort Lewis' own 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

In Afghanistan the 864th will create secure command outposts, sustainable service routes and security details to protect resources and personnel. The battalion's Soldiers have trained on the required skills for months. Now was time to apply what they had practiced.

"This was the opportunity to put all of the training together in an event," said Lt. Col. Heather Warden, the battalion commander. Colonel Michael Brobeck, 555th Engineer Brigade commander, said that the purpose of the exercise was to give his Soldiers the confidence to trust in themselves, their battle buddies and their leaders and to put them in the right place at the right time. The battalion benefits from a lot of combat experience. Nearly one-third of the Soldiers assigned to the 864th have been with the unit for its two deployments since 2005.

The battalion's vertical and horizontal construction companies were at the forefront of the YTC training. The 557th Engineer Company (horizontal) and the 585th Engr. Co. (vertical) established teams at Command Outpost Schooner and Forward Operating Base Badger Gap. The units had to first secure the sites.

"If we can prevent IEDs from being put in place to begin with, we have won half of the battle," said 1st Sgt. Steven Williams, first sergeant of the 585th.

The other half is protecting innocent lives.

"As far as the Afghan (people), we want them to know that we are there to help make their lives better," Williams said.

Another crucial aspect of the training was replicating the equipment that is currently employed downrange.

"What we're doing is as (close) as one can get to what they're doing in theater," said Capt. Phillip Ambrose, current operations plans officer for battalion. "We're constructing a COP that's overlooking a training village ... so that we can interact with the local residents."

Another aspect of the training at YTC was preparing the battalion for operations in a country that has an average elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level.

"It's not flat like Iraq," said Cpl. Jeffrey Kreds, Headquarters and Headquarters Co. The terrain like that at YTC can keep you from having a clear view around you, even when you are on a high point, Kreds said.

Warden said that the "engineer" mindset is to always be resourceful, especially when it comes to building materials and projects.

"The important thing about interacting with the local Afghan people is that we will be able to better integrate ourselves with the people and gain their trust," Warden said.