Email   Print   Share By Sgt. Jennifer Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

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Tankers assigned to 2-12 Cav. Regt., 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div., move down range to engage their targets during a training exercise at Sugarloaf Range Friday. Soldiers engaged various targets to build proficiency and accuracy as they strove to remain tactically ready at all times. Sgt. Jennifer Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

Private Austin Silvers, a mortarman assigned to HHC, 2-12 cav. Regt., 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div., ducks as his mortar fires a 120mm training round during a live-fire training exercise May 9. Silvers and his fellow Soldiers trained on the mortars during 4th BCT’s gunnery qualifications in preparation for any future deployments. Sgt. Jennifer Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

Mortarmen assigned to 2-12 Cav. Regt., 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. prepare 120 mm training rounds during a live-fire training exercise May 9. The Soldiers began with training rounds but moved to live rounds to gain proficiency on the mortar system during 4th BCT’s gunnery qualifications. Sgt. Jennifer Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

A scout with 1-9 Cav. Regt., 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. ground guides a M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle A3 into position at the zeroing range May 8. The Soldiers zeroed their Bradley’s weapons in preparation for their upcoming crew-level gunnery qualification. Sgt. Jennifer Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

A tank crew with 2-12 Cav. Regt., 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div., heads down range in their M1A2 Special Equipment Package Abrams tank during a live-fire exercise for their Table VI qualifications at Sugarloaf Range May 9. The Soldiers fine-tuned their skills during a three-week long period that will culminate in their gunnery table qualifications. Sgt. Jennifer Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

Over the last few weeks, Longknife Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division have been deployed to the field in a mass training exercise to certify and qualify crews on several different weapon systems, primarily the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the Abrams tank and mortars.

“It’s all about leadership, being out in the field and working closely with Soldiers,” Col. William Benson, 4th BCT’s commander, said. “Being an expert at your collective task, being an expert at your combat system is what separates the U.S. Army from most of the other armies of the world – it’s that level of skill we bring to combat operations.”

“Practice makes perfect,” 1st Sgt. Donald Mason, of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div., said. “The more we do this and become better at this skill set, the more we can take and apply those skill sets (to our operations).”

(Editor’s note: Spc. Angel Turner contributed to this article)