2-3 in Yak
Photos from the weekend of May 20-21, 2011 by J.M. Simpson
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Commander’s Detonation
Lt. Col. J.D. Highfill, commander, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, sets of two Bangalore charges. Photo by J.M. Simpson
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The Breakfast Special
When paper plates ran out at breakfast on Saturday morning, Spc. Kyle Rosette adapted by using a piece of cardboard as a plate. Photo by J.M. Simpson
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Dusty Trail
A convoy of 3rd Brigade’s Strykers makes their way to a training range at the Yakima Training Center. The brigade is training on a number of ranges to refine its combat skills. Photo by J.M. Simpson
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Sewing
Spc. Tyler Cross and Pfc. Andrew Moses, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, stitch together camouflage netting. “This is a skill that hasn’t been used in quite a while,” CSM Peter Smith said. Photo by J.M. Simpson
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Boots On The Ground
Capt. David Birie, operations planner, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, prepares for another day of training in the desert. Photo by J.M. Simpson
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Hair wash in the Field
Maj. Matthew Blome, executive officer, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, rinses off after washing his hair. Photo by J.M. Simpson
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Charge Line
Soldiers with the 18th Engineer Company line up charges prior to demonstrating the effect such charges can have on roads. Photo by J.M. Simpson
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C4 Explosion
460 pounds of C4 detonate.
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The 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 2nd Infantry Division is currently conducting full spectrum training operations at the Yakima Training Center (YTC).
"We're conducting training we've haven't done in almost 10 years," CSM Peter Smith explained.
"For the young soldiers, this is the first time they've been exposed to this. For the older soldiers, we're relearning."
Nicknamed the "Arrowhead Brigade'" the unit was the first to transform to the medium infantry/Stryker centered concept.
It was also the first Stryker brigade to deploy into combat in Iraq.
That orientation is changing.
Codenamed "Operation Motega," (a native American word which means "new arrow"), the 3rd SBCT's training at Yakima is to relearn basic skills in order to meet a full spectrum of challenges.
"We're moving from COIN centric operations to full spectrum operations, of which counterinsurgency is a part," Lt. Col. J D. Highfill, commander, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, said last Friday evening as we had supper on the hood of a Humvee.
Highfill went on to explain that will counterinsurgency operations will remain a part of the Army's mission, confronting criminal, conventional and guerilla operations.
"We have not done much of this kind of training," Sgt. Shane Winkle, a soldier assigned to the battalion's combat repair team.
"There will be no forward operating bases, of FOBs. "We are relearning what the Army does - take land and hold it."
He had a point - the brigade is self-sustaining in all aspects. There is minimal civilian contractor support.
To build on the training at YTC, the brigade will become the first to complete a full spectrum rotation at the National Training Center, or NTC, for the first time in about a decade later this summer.
"We're glad to be out here doing this training," SFC Gary McCarthy said. "It's good to go back to high intensity work."
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