Issue 50 Mar. 17, 2011
Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
Soldiers strive to acheive EFMB distinction
miss a beat and then negotiate a 12 mile road march is not an easy thing to do,” Young said. “EFMB is the hardest badge to get in the The 10th Combat Support Hospital held its Army because of all the stuff you have to first Expert Field Medic Badge course in six do exactly right. It’s not like when you toss years at Ft. Carson, Feb. 22-Mar. 13. a grenade and you come close then your “The EFMB test measures the individual good enough. A Soldier has to perform a medical Soldier’s physical fitness, mental task exactly by the book. If he does it out of toughness and ability to perform to standards sequence he is wrong and gets a no go,” Place of excellence in a broad spectrum of critical said. medical and Soldier skills,” said Master Sgt. The level of difficulty to obtain an EFMB Daniel Traver, chief wardmaster with 10th is high and therefore Soldiers work hard to CSH. Sgt. 1st Class Joel Farrens grades Sgt. 1st Class To achieve the EFMB award a Soldier must Marianne Lawless as she evaluates a casualty on the overcome the challenge. Expert Field Medical Badge course, Mar. 10. “I think everyone really wants it. It’s a go through a week of training and testing. hard course but the chance to actually get During the testing week, Soldiers are required if you’ve got a go till the end,” said Sgt. Josh the EFMB is motivating and will push you to St. Peter, a combat medic with Company C, to pass a written exam; day and night land 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade study,” said Pvt. Joseph McChesney, a combat navigation course; negotiate lanes where medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. they are tested on survival evacuation and Company, 2nd STB. All of the lanes are challenging but emergency medical treatment in a simulated “Getting the EFMB, to me, means hard combat environment and then complete a 12 the land navigation course is the toughest work and training. It shows that if I put course out here because of the terrain, mile road march in three hours. my mind to it, I can accomplish anything said Command Sgt. Maj. Winston Young, With only an 18 percent pass rate, the and nothing can get in my way,” said Pvt. command sergeant major for 10th CSH. EFMB is one of the toughest badges to Although land navigation may be difficult, 1st Class Ian Nunag, a combat medic with earn in the Army, said Col. Michael Place, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd it’s not the only challenging aspect of the commander of 10th CSH. Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd EFMB. Soldiers seemed to agree that the day and BCT. “To be able, in a field environment, to night land navigation was the hardest event. Only 6 of the 184 Soldiers who competed go through a vigorous four and half days “Land navigation is a killer because it’s for the EFMB earned the prize. of attention to detail type training and not not a self correcting course. You don’t know Story and photo by Sgt. Ruth Pagan 2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
Commander’s Column
Lt. Col. John Cook, Commander 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment
In February, 1-10 CAV, along with the rest of the Warhorse Brigade, trained at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The purpose of JRTC is to introduce units to the environment and situation that they will face upon deployment. Each unit had unique challenges based on the districts they inherited, which were constructed to model the many situations that coalition forces currently face in Afghanistan. The Turan district, which 1-10 CAV was responsible for, was not
exempt from challenges. Although the district government was cooperative and supportive of the coalition effort, there was a robust and active insurgency in the area. The enemy was well trained and had a strong capacity for making daily operations a challenge at all levels of command. However, because of the strength and efforts of the Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers of 1-10 CAV we were able to engage and counter the enemy with operations that gained praise from the cadre, and taught us much about how to operate in Afghanistan. The lessons we learned are a tremendous asset to our team,
and even as we enter our final stages of preparation for deployment, we are incorporating these lessons into our training. We learned much about how to fight the enemy kinetically to disrupt their efforts and destroy their capacity, but we also learned a more important lesson about how partnership will lead to success. Our partnership with the Afghan government and Afghan security force will help them train and improve so that they will be able to assume sole responsibility for security and economic develcontinued on page 2
page 2
Warhorse Pride
Issue 50 Mar. 17, 2011
HHC conducts combatives training Story by 2nd Lt. Abbey Paton 2nd Special Troops Battalion photo by Sgt. Seth Barham, 2nd BCT PAO
It is said that combatives is the link between who you are and what you say you are. Recently 15 Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Special Troops Battalion were challenged with this statement and were trained and qualified in Level 1 Combatives. Sgt. Michael Murray and his team of trained combatives instructors, also from HHC, taught this class. The week-long training covered body positions, ground fighting, weapons retention, and standing striking techniques. Soldiers learned to harness the warrior ethos in tough realistic training. Soldiers’ confidence grew from the competence of their instructors and from the arduous training. The culminating event was a hand-to-hand grapple, where Soldiers were required to close the distance with a fully resistant opponent. They had to gain and maintain a dominant
through repetitive drilling in order to learn, maintain, and perfect each drill. My experiposition for an undisclosed time before Mur- ence was physically exhausting. However, I gained personal confidence in my close comray gave the signal to stop. bative skills,” Dority said. During the course, several drills were covSpc. Michael Mansini, The combatives ered and movements designed to enable and enhance their defensive and striking abilities experience was one of pain, personal growth, and practical learning. “Sgt. Murray challenged and motivated me in ways I had not endured since Basic Combat Training. “Everyday my mind and body were pushed to their limit,” Mansini said. Murray continues to encourage Soldiers to join Combatives Level 1 classes whenever training time allows. Murray’s goal is to train all of HHC at Level 1 certification and then progress the company to Level in close combative situations. In addition, they were educated in the history and evolve- 2 training. “Combatives are an invaluable skill that ment of the Army combative program, said Pfc. Leslie Dority, a Soldier from the Chemical teaches Soldiers who they are inside, and pushes them to become stronger both menReconnaissance Platoon tally and physically,” said Murray. “Each day presented a physical challenge continued from page 1
opment. I am convinced that partnering with our Afghan counterparts is the way forward. By assisting their development of a more professional government, military and police force the Afghan people will have brighter future. I am proud of our Squadron and their work at JRTC and I am positive that this experience will help make us a more effective force upon arrival in Afghanistan. As the 1-10 CAV and the rest of the Warhorse Brigade continues to push forward toward deployment our focus turns toward Family readiness. I am confident that Families are left in good hands with our rear detachment and our FRG. Both have been working tirelessly to ensure preparedness of the Soldiers and their families and will continue their efforts in the coming months. READY AND FORWARD!
Warhorse Pride Col. John S. Kolasheski..................2nd BCT Commander Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa............2nd BCT CSM Maj. Kevin Toner...............................................2nd BCT PAO Spc. April York........................................Layout and Design Sgt. Seth Barham............................................................Editor Sgt. Ruth Pagan...............................................................Editor
The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the fairs Office. Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry The Warhorse Pride welcomes articles, commenDivision. The Warhorse Pride is an Army-funded news- tary, and photos from readers. The Warhorse Pride letter authorized under provision of AR 360-1. reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the Contents of The Warhorse Pride are publication. not necessarily the views of, nor endorsed by the, U.S. All issues of the Warhorse Pride can be viewed government, Department of Defense, Department of the online from your home computer at www.facebook. Army or the 4th Infantry Division. All editorial content com/2bct4id of The Warhorse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and Submissions should be emailed to the approved by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Afeditor: seth.barham1@conus.army.mil