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While the nation sleeps, a gritty group of troops train
on heavy equipment designed to secure and maintain freedom
for millions of Americans.
Not far from the main cantonment area of Fort Hood, M1A2 SEP V3
Abrams tanks are rolling out to put rounds downrange, and while that
fact may not mean much to the average American, the result of this
training can be widely appreciated.
“One Abrams tank has more firepower than an entire squad of
infantrymen,” said Capt. Jason Tucker, commander of Company B, 3rd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team,
1st Cavalry Division.
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June 30, 2016 - Three M1A2 Abrams tank crews from Company B, 3rd Battalion, 8th
Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry
Division, engage targets at Crittenberger Multipurpose Range Complex
during a series of gunnery tables. As a part of an integrated
approach to warfare, Abrams tanks, along with well-armed,
well-trained tank crews are a valuable asset to the United States
Army as a fighting force. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Leah Kilpatrick)
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As a part of an integrated approach to warfare, Abrams
tanks, along with well-armed, well-trained tank crews are a
valuable asset to the United States Army as a fighting
force.
Just as Soldiers qualify and maintain proficiency on their
individual weapons, tanks crews must also maintain proficiency in a
training event known as gunnery. During one gunnery iteration, a
company of tanks can expend anywhere from 400 to 500 120mm rounds.
Considering that just one 120mm rounds weighs roughly 50 pounds,
an entire company of 14 tanks is a force to be reckoned with.
“You sharpen your axe here,” Tucker said. “You don't have time to
sharpen your axe out there (in combat).”
The troops practice firing on silhouettes meant to represent
personnel at between 200 and 800 meters away and at tanks and other
vehicles at 3,000 meters and while moving.
“You gain a lot of experience, a lot of knowledge,” said Sgt.
Gerald Smith, a gunner and assistant tank commander assigned to Co.
B. “After all the training I've had, I can basically run my tank by
myself.”
Proficiency and readiness require tough training, and these
Soldiers often spend weeks in the austere field environment to build
team cohesion and solidify those critical skills that will make all
the difference in a combat environment.
The tanks are run by 4-man crews, and everyone in the crew learns
everyone else's job.
“It's not four people; it's a crew,” Smith said. “The crews want
to stay together. It's a family.”
Since the company regularly receives brand new Soldiers freshly
graduated from One Station Unit Training, gunnery also serves the
purpose of bringing those young tankers up to speed.
“I have 11 Soldiers here that graduated (One Station Unit
Training) three weeks ago, and they are here firing gunnery,” Tucker
said.
Upon arriving to the unit, those new troops are assigned to a
crew, and the work of training begins.
“We have to get them up to par with our standard and get them
used to working as a crew, not as one person,” said Spc. Matthew
Jardine, a gunner with Co. B. “It's kind of like trial by fire. They
throw you in there, and you have to learn fast. It's not all in the
book. You can learn the basics of how to put a round in the tube,
but until you actually do it, you don't have it.”
It takes trained, confident troops to manage and maneuver more
than 65 tons of composite armor decked out with an M240 machine gun,
a .50 caliber machine gun and an M256A1 smoothbore gun.
“These vehicles are amazing,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy
Ricketts, first sergeant of Co. B. “It just blows your mind when you
get in them and realize what they can do.”
Moving at a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour, one tank has a
maximum fuel capacity of about 500 gallons. To put that into
perspective, a standard bathtub holds about 70 gallons of water,
according to the Environment Protection Agency. So it would take
about 1,000 bathtubs full of JP8 to fuel all 14 tanks in the
company.
It takes an hour and half to fuel the whole company, Smith said.
But once they are fueled, manned with trained and ready troopers,
and armed with 42 rounds. That full load of ammunition could consist
of any combination of various types of rounds, ranging from
high-explosive anti-tank rounds to canister rounds, which each
contain more than 1,100 3/8 inch tungsten ball bearings, so it's
essentially a massive shotgun shell.
With ammo loaded and adrenaline pumping, the crews wait their
turn to qualify on each of 12 gunnery tables, all testing various
levels of skill and proficiency from team level all the way up to
platoon level engagements. While scoring 700 is passing and the
maximum score is 1,000, the teams harness their competitive natures
and attempt to one up each other.
“There's a lot of smack talk of who's going to get best platoon
and best crew,” Smith said. “We want to be proficient,” Jardine
said. “We want to be good at our job.”
When all the tank crews have qualified and all the after-action
reviews have been completed, the time in the field comes to a close.
“At the end of the day, we are very confident in our ability to
put steel on target,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Brazel, a tank
commander assigned to Co. B. “That's what we do.”
By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Leah Kilpatrick
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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