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4th Stryker BCT run live-fire drills at Korean range

Apr- 2-2006 » Filed Under: General Military

Because of the pending restructuring of Stryker units at Ft. Lewis, I'm not sure which SBCT is profiled in the following article. Thanks to Michael for the link.

Link to Full Article
By Erik Slavin, Stars and Stripes

RODRIGUEZ RANGE, South Korea — Much of what the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team does would be familiar to soldiers from any infantry unit.

And the maneuvering and maintenance of the light-armored, speedy Stryker vehicles may seem old hat to soldiers with past heavy-armor jobs.

But it’s up to leadership from both disciplines to define the future of battlefield procedure for the Stryker, introduced in 2002 as a lighter, infantry-centered alternative to the Bradley fighting vehicle.

On Thursday, those leaders watched as their band of predominantly “green” soldiers engaged in a Stryker live-fire exercise scenario that included storming a “known terrorist encampment.”

Four Strykers rolled through Rodriguez range, firing their .50-caliber guns until within infantry range of the wooden shacks serving as the terrorist hideout.

Soldiers then began pouring out of the vehicles, setting up a line of suppressive fire while another Stryker squad stormed the shacks.

“The only thing that comes close in intensity is the live fire while in deployment,” said Cpl. Kimo Griggs.

Griggs’ downrange experience is a rarity among the junior enlisted soldiers in his Fort Lewis, Wash.-based, unit, which started from scratch in 2005.


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