Soldiers of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, spent 2018 training in preparation for deployment to Iraq while participating in a variety of events throughout the community.
The brigade started 2018 with Eagle Talon II, a brigade field training exercise in January. February saw Bastogne participate in Warfighter Exercise 18-3, at Fort Campbell.
After supporting warfighter, 1st BCT spent a week celebrating competition and camaraderie during Bastogne Week. The week kicked off Feb. 20 with a run to the division parade field where Soldiers watched commanders and first sergeants from across the brigade compete in a fitness challenge.
After a week of competition, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment claimed the prize as winner of “Best Battalion” for the year. The festivities closed out with a brigade gala.
“I think it is always a good idea to do these kinds of things,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Walls, 2-327th Inf. Regt. “Any time your guys like you enough to come out and support you, you know you are doing something right.”
From Feb. 27 to March 15, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, Soldiers traveled to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, for squad level training. While there, the unit trained in trench clearing, machine gun university, squad lanes and crew and section gunnery.
Soldiers from across 1st BCT went to San Mateo, California, March 22-26, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the city’s adoption of A Company, 1-327th Inf. Regt. The week included Bastogne Soldiers meeting with more than 50 Vietnam War veterans at the San Mateo County Museum.
The following morning, Soldiers led a workout for civilians and employees of San Mateo City Hall and Police Department. From there, Soldiers scattered across nine different cities that have adopted Soldiers from 101st. The Soldiers came back together to march in a reenactment of a 1972 Vietnam War homecoming parade that included 101st veterans who marched in the original parade.
“It was a great display of goodwill of a community, who genuinely supports their military,” said Col. Derek Thomson, 1st BCT commander. “And genuinely desire a connection with the Soldiers of their Army.”
The final day of the trip included a trip to the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California, to honor 16 Medal of Honor recipients. Before leaving the cemetery, a ceremony was held at the gravesite of Sgt. Joe Artavia.
Artavia was a member of A Co., 1-327th Inf. Regt., and killed just weeks before his sister, Linda Patterson, suggested the city adopt the unit.
“Inwardly I was talking to Joe,” Patterson said. “And telling him how he started something incredible.”
Early in May, the Tennessee Titans invited Soldiers from 1st BCT to their practice facility in Nashville to see what a day in the life of a National Football League player is like. After being served breakfast, the Soldiers went to a question and answer session with Jon Robinson, the Titans’ general manager, and Mike Vrabel, the Titans’ head coach. Following the Q&A, and a film session with Vrabel, Soldiers saw a comparison of similarities between a football organization and the Army in sessions with the director of team operations, director of security, director of player engagement and director of player personnel.
The Soldiers made their way onto the practice field, where they warmed-up with Vrabel and Tom Kanavy, Titans strength and conditioning coach. After the warm-up, Soldiers did a mixture of offensive and defensive drills with Titans players.
“A day like this, it is special,” Robinson said. “And it just shows our appreciation for what they do for our country. It is a great relationship that we have with that group at Fort Campbell, and hopefully we can continue that.”
Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, conducted their 2018 Squadron Spur Ride, May 16-18. The spur ride is a rite of passage to those in Cavalry organizations. Over the three days, Soldiers were tested on numerous physical, mental and leadership tasks. At the conclusion, 81 Soldiers received their silver spurs becoming members of the Order of the Spur.
“Every spur candidate was brought beyond a normally expected performance measure,” said 2nd Lt. Zachary Hinsch, 1-32nd Cav. Regt. “Showing each their potential as leaders.”
The brigade continued its partnership with the city of Franklin, Tennessee, hosting the May 31 Franklin Rendezvous. This allowed leaders from the city to visit Fort Campbell and spend a day with Soldiers, during which they received hands-on experience with some Army equipment, ate a meal at the brigade dining facility and visited the Brig. Gen. Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum.
“To be able to go to each of the areas and learn what those Soldiers are doing,” said Ellie Westman-Chin, president and CEO of Visit Franklin. “And how they have been trained and prepared to do what they do was very interesting.”
In June members of the brigade participate in Eagle Flight IV, a brigade field training exercise. This exercise was a stepping-stone for a rotation to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Soldiers trained in forcible entry, logistical support and defending against an opposition forces.
“It is the culmination of all the training from squad, platoon, company and battalion levels, which we bring all together as a brigade combat team,” said Maj. Tyler Vest, 1st BCT operations officer.
Soldiers of the brigade continued to train for their upcoming JRTC rotation in July during Operation Bastogne Fury, a command post and fire coordination exercise.
During the exercise Soldiers used new technology that simulated Fort Polk’s mapped terrain. With the use of the three-dimensional, first-person military training simulator, Bastogne Soldiers got to tactically train on the virtual battle field they would encounter at JRTC.
“The command post exercise is all about how the brigade is sharing information,” said Lt. Col. Hugh Sollom, commander of 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment. “How it is reporting information that is important to both the subordinate battalions and the brigade and even the brigade’s higher headquarters.”
The beginning of August the final preparations for JRTC Rotation 18-10, including equipment loading onto barges, were made. All seven battalions within the brigade were deployed to JRTC Aug. 15-Sept. 21. The time at JRTC was spent solidifying the brigade’s readiness for the winter deployment to Iraq.
While at JRTC, Soldiers tested their offensive and defensive operations against opposing forces in a replication of combat conditions. The battalions tested their abilities through reconnaissance, security and air assault missions, as well as battalion live fire.
“We saw a lot of toughness and grit out there,” Thomson said. “We saw a lot of really long movements through really tough terrain under some hot weather conditions, but everywhere you turned you saw people getting after it and giving 110 percent.”
The return from JRTC was followed by preparations in early October for the Expert Infantry Badge training. This included constructing lanes for more than 30 tasks covering medical, weapons and patrolling. The vigorous training led to the Oct. 12-26 EIB testing. More than 1,200 Soldiers started the effort, but after physical fitness assessment, land navigation, testing on the various lanes and a 12-mile foot march, 98 Soldiers earned the much-coveted EIB.
Throughout the year, the Soldiers of Bastogne built up their partnership with Austin Peay State University football team. In August, Soldiers from across 1st BCT practiced with the football team at Fortera Stadium at the APSU campus in Clarksville.
The APSU football team came to Fort Campbell and visited the Pratt Museum. From the museum they attended a leadership seminar. The football team then made its way to The Sabalauski Air Assault School where players tried out the obstacle course. The players finished off the day with a Humvee pull race.
In October, the football team practiced at Pvt. Elmer E. Fryar Stadium.
In November, the APSU team spent a week actively involved throughout Fort Campbell. Each player received a biography about the fallen Soldier he would play in honor of during the Nov. 17 APSU Military Appreciation Day football game.
The APSU football team coaching staff helped in serving at the Bastogne dining facility for the Thanksgiving meal. The team spent the night at Fort Campbell, and the following morning they visited various memorial sites across post.
“I’m very happy we did this,” said Elijah Shepard, APSU linebacker. “To celebrate you all, we wanted to show you all that we know that we are in an Army town. We wanted to show our appreciation to you all.”
From October through December, Soldiers from across the brigade completed tasks in final preparations for deployment, including attending Soldier readiness processing, fielding of gear, packing and shipping equipment.
On Oct. 18, the Department of the Army announced 1st BCT’s winter 2018 deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
The beginning of the deployment of Bastogne was marked during the Dec. 14 casing ceremony, where Thompson and Command Sgt. Maj. Major Wray Gabelmann, 1st BCT senior enlisted adviser, cased the brigade’s colors.
“Our Soldiers are well trained and ready for this important mission,” Thomson said. “I am proud of all their hard work and commitment, and grateful for the support we’ve received from our Families and the Fort Campbell community.”