First In Space’ Keeps It On The Ground During Field Training Exercise

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

Story by 1st Sgt. Robert Segin

U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command

FORT CARSON, Colorado – Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, brought their training down to Earth during a three-day training exercise Aug. 26-28 here.

The exercise was designed to reinforce some of the basic Army warrior tasks all Soldiers are required to know.

“A lot of other Soldiers think that we just do space, but we’re also Soldiers. This week (we’re) bringing it back down to Earth and focusing on our basic skills,” said Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Burt, HHC, 1st Space Battalion, first sergeant.

As part of the FTX, Soldiers worked in squads and conducted training on a number of topics such as night and day land navigation, tactical combat care, reacting to an ambush, and movement to contact.

“These tasks are all things you need to know to conduct yourself as Soldiers,” said Burt. “These individual tasks are important, and it does not matter what your MOS (military occupation) is. Everyone is expected to be a Soldier first.”

Most of these Soldiers spend their duty day behind a computer or in the motor pool, so having the opportunity to train in the field was a welcome break from their normal duties.

“This training has been exciting and fun,” said Pfc. Michael Ryan, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with HHC, 1st Space Battalion. “We are here in the field, which we rarely get to do, practicing over and over to make this training muscle memory.”

The culmination of the FTX was squad lanes. Situated among the ever-present pinon and juniper trees, the Soldiers put their practice into action. Squads, led by privates and specialists, rotated through three lanes designed to test their ability to react to contact, indirect fire, causalities, dealing with non-combatants, and the set up of a deliberate ambush.

“The Soldiers implemented everything they practiced these last few days during the squad lanes,” said Burt. “We have to train on these tasks and conduct these battle drills, so we are ready to fight at anytime.”

As they loaded up to head back in for some well-deserved sleep, the space Soldiers showed that even though their duties may lie outside the Earth, they are still Soldiers first.

“We stayed out at range 143, and there were some Special Forces Soldiers there with us,” said Burt. “They said ‘you all are the Space guys; we did not know you did this type of training,’ and that was cool.”