Thunder Times A Bi-Monthly Chronicle of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team Volume 1
THIS ISSUE From the Top Current News
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Frontline Frames
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Play It Safe
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Chappy’s Chat
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Putting it Together
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Commo Check
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155th ABCT FAMILY READINESS 24 HOUR HOTLINE 601-313-0155
Issue 6
May 1, 2018
FROM THE TOP Hello from sunny Fort Bliss, Texas. My name is Lt. Col. Chris Cooksey and I am the commander of the 2d Battalion, 198th Armor Regiment headquartered in Senatobia, Miss. Lt. Col. Chris Cooksey The 2-198th is one 2-198 AR of three combined Commander arms battalions that make up the fighting power of the 155th ABCT. The 2-198th has units spread across north Mississippi to include Hernando, Indianola, Oxford and Greenwood. Like all units of the 155th ABCT, the 2-198th is training hard in preparation for the upcoming deployment. Recently the 2-198th units completed the Company Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise that is commonly known in the military as the CALFEX. This is a culminating event for a unit that brings to bear all the enablers of the Brigade in one live-fire scenario. During the 2-198th CALFEX each company incorporates indirect fires from the field artillery, breaching operations from the engineers, and scouts and mortars from our
own battalion. This operation was a huge success and was a very important step in the validation of this battalion and the Brigade. So what’s next for the 2-198th? In the next few weeks we will graduate to battalion operations to include staff planning exercises, battalion maneuvers, and begin loading and preparing for our move overseas. No matter what the challenge or event, the 2-198th will live up to it’s motto “We came to fight” and meet the challenge head on. I want to close by saying thank you to the Soldiers of this Brigade and their families. I am amazed every day when I see the motivation, dedication, and esprit de corps these citizen Soldiers possess. Additionally, I know there are loved ones who are “soldiering” in their own way back home. Thank you for your many sacrifices and all you do, God Bless!
“We came to fight!” Cottonmouth 6
CURRENT NEWS “I commend our U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team... in their dedication and selfless service as they prepare to deploy to Kuwait for Operation Spartan Shield.”
- Mark T. Esper, Secretary of the Army
Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper came out to visit with Soldiers of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team near Orogrande, N.M., April 19, 2018. The Guardsmen are training in preparation for a deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Sgt. Brittany Johnson)
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FRONTLINE FRAMES
Soldiers with the 106th Support Battalion prepare a patient for transport during a mass casualty exercise. (Photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson)
Spc. John Leonard and Sgt. Justin Folsom, from Headquarters Company, 2-137th IN, fill sand bags to improve their position. (Photo by Sgt. Maj. Brent Anders)
S A F E T Y
Company C, 2-137th IN conducts platoon qualification near Oro Grande, N.M. (Photo by Sgt. BrittanyJohnson)
Soldiers with Company A, 2-137 IN, prepare to receive a briefing. (Photo by Sgt. Maj. Brent Anders)
PROTECT YOUR HANDS FROM HAZARDS People take their hands for granted until they have an injury. Be proactive in protecting yourself and your fellow Soldiers.
Don’t Take Your Hands For Granted: • TC’S INSPECT ALL MILES GEAR TO ENSURE LOADER’S HATCH IS SECURE • TC’S ENSURE LOADER’S HATCH IS LOCKED BEFORE MOVEMENT • BC’S ENSURE DRIVER’S HATCH IS SECURE PRIOR TO ENTERING VEHICLE • DRIVERS VISUALLY AND PHYSICALLY INSPECT THE LATCH DURING PMCS
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CHAPPY’S CHAT Soldiers “lose comms” every day and it drastically impacts our training. Often we simply do not know how to operate the system. But we can communicate successfully through adequate training, practice, and experience. The same is true in our spiritu1st Lt. Scott Edwards al lives. Just as Soldiers can Chaplain, 2-114 FA be intimidated by filling a radio, many Soldiers feel inadequate communicating with God by prayer. Jesus taught His disciples to pray through the Model Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into
temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9-13 HCSB). Just as we have a PACE plan for communication, here is a Prayer PACE Plan to help you pray. P – Praise God. “Your name be honored as holy.” Praise God for all that He is doing in your life. A – Admit Fault. “Forgive us our debts.” We all are sinners yet God promises to forgive us because of His great love for us. C – Concerns. “Deliver us from the evil one.” Ask God for help with everything that you are facing. E – Expect Results. “Your will be done.” Have confidence that God hears your prayers. Hopefully this PACE Prayer Plan will help you get comms up with God today. Steel Rain!
CH Scott Edwards
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
An engine must have the right parts in the right place to work properly. The same can be said about the Army. When a Soldier joins the Army they join a team, and any successful team has numerous parts that must work together to get the job done. Each member’s job is important to keep operations going, but they all have their own challenges. Pfc. John Banks, assigned to Company F, 106th Support Battalion, along with Spc. Nicholas Ware and Sgt. Clayton Kitchens, plays an important role as a bradley mechanic. The Soldiers work together to make sure any vehicle that comes their way is up and running as quickly as possible so there is minimum delay in the completion of the mission. “My job is working on the schematics on the inside of the Bradley, which includes all of the cables, wiring, motor, and transmission,” said Banks. For them to get their job done, they must determine what exactly is causing the issue. To do this they use a vehicle diagnostic management system (VDMS), this tells them what part of the vehicle is malfunctioning. “We run VDMS which tell you what’s wrong with the machine, and what you need to do to replace it,” said Banks. The next phase is getting the part and putting it in. This typically takes the longest, because once they determine what piece may need replac-
ing, that part must be ordered and takes time to get delivered out to the mechanics working in the desert. “The speed of the process depends on how fast the parts come in,” said Banks. “When the parts come in we can get it done pretty quickly.” Growing up with a dad who worked on cars, Banks feels right at home around vehicles. This influenced him to choose the military occupational specialty of Bradley Fighting Vehicle System Maintainer. “He wasn’t a mechanic, but he knew what needed to be done,” said Banks. “It gave me a general direction in what I needed to do.” No matter how much you like your job, everyone comes to obstacles that are going to make the situation tough. The key is to stay motivated. There are going to be hard times especially when you’re out in the field in the middle of nowhere, but if you stay motivated everything else falls into place, said Banks. “As long as you keep a good mindset you can make anything happen,” said Banks. No matter how big or small a part may seem, every team member is crucial in accomplishing the mission.
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FRONTLINE FRAMES
Sgt. Lammi Micha and Spc. Antonika Aaron with Company C, 106th Support Battalion rehearse their skills during a Mass Casualty Exercise near McGregor, New Mexico. (Photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson)
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PARTING SHOT
A Paladin from Charlie Battery, 2d Battalion 114th FA shoots to certify during Table VI section certification. (2-114th FA Courtesy Photo)
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An M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with Company C, 2-137 IN conducts platoon qualification near Oro Grande, N.M. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Williams)
PUBLISHED BY THE 155TH ABCT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE PAO - 2nd Lt. Terry Hill II PAO NCOIC - Staff Sgt. Michael Williams PA SPECIALIST - Sgt. Brittany Johnson PA SPECIALIST - Spc. Jovi Prevot
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