Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Issue 9 April 22, 2010

shooting big bullets again,” said a Soldier from

Battery A.
“It felt great executing live fire missions
and putting rounds down range. I hope we
win top gun in the Battalion.”
Since 3rd Bn., 16th FA Reg., returned
from Iraq, where it executed a non-standard
artillery mission, this is the first time in two
years that Soldiers from the battalion have
fired artillery rounds.
This valuable training provides necessary
practice for both the veteran Soldiers and the
inexperienced ones.
Providing safe, accurate fires will be
essential for the battery FDCs and gun crews
when executing Table XVIII qualification,
Crew members from 3rd Batttalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry which include battalion-massed missions, in
Division, fire artillery rounds from their Paladin during live fire exercises for qualifications April 13. June.

3-16 trains with Paladins

Story and photo by 2nd Lt. Ian Faison
3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment
The 1st Platoon, Battery A, 3rd Battalion,
16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division executed
individual, crew, and section live fire exercises
to qualify for Field Artillery Table VIII April
13.
The platoon’s Fire Direction Center (FDC)
and gun crews rehearsed all morning receiving
and executing “dry-fire” missions from the
battalion FDC.
They executed dry fire missions at various
angles until 3 p.m., when they began live fire
missions.
For the first live fire mission, the gun crews
shot the Paladin with a 50 foot lanyard to
ensure safety because the guns had not been
fired in over a year.
First Platoon’s guns fired 36 safe, accurate,
high explosive (HE) rounds.
“I was excited to go to the field and start
Capt. Jonathan Holm, Battery A
commander, said “Our section certification is
a vital step in reasserting ourselves as the ‘King
of Battle’ after conducting stability operations
during and prior to the last deployment.”
“The guys love it; this is what they joined
the Army to do,” he said.
The Thunder Pride Battalion ,“Redlegs”,
have been in the field since April 6 focusing on
their Table VIII (crew) and Table XII (platoon)
artillery qualifications.
Both platoons of Battery A and Battery B
have already finished their qualifications and
are ready for more training.

Command Sergeant Major’s Corner Later on in the year we will

Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Barteau, CSM
2nd Brigade Combat Team
It has been more than six
months since the brigade
returned from deployment and
our focus is now shifting from
reset to getting back to training.
Initially the concentration will
be on individual and collective
training as we build up our
capacity to conduct full spectrum
operations. Right now the Army
is so focused on COIN that we are
losing our capability to perform
conventional warfare, what I
consider to be a lost art. One of
the highlights of our individual
training plan is having the sniper
mobile training team come to Fort
Carson and train our Soldiers.
We have gotten many slots for
this course already and there
are more to come for deserving
Soldiers who want to excel. A
key component to ensuring we
maximize our training is by
preparing the ones who will
execute the plan. Central to that
is sending our young Soldiers
and noncommissioned officers
to NCOES to help prepare them
to be the future leaders we need.
start to develop more theater
specific training that will
prepare us for the particular
theater where we will deploy.
Many of you have noticed
that there have been some
changes in the brigade
since coming back from
deployment. To mark the new
shift in leadership that took
place in November, I have
redesigned the Warhorse crest
to bring us into a 21st Century
mindset. There is a major shift
in the morale of this brigade
and I want that to continue.
continued on page 2
page 2 Warhorse Pride Issue 9 April 22, 2010

continued from page 1

Our retention statistics are leading the
Army and we have more than met our
goals. This is a great place to work and a
great team to be a part of. You are going
to continue to see a shift in recognizing
deserving leaders through our NCO and
Soldier of the month/quarter and Sgt.
Audie Murphy boards.
Since we have such a long dwell time
one issue I will tackle is how we transition
from the constant deployments to
operating in a garrison environment.
There are different concerns that affect
our families and what we focus on in
garrison, and quite frankly I think we can
do better. The continuous deployment
schedule the Army has been on has
Col. John S. Kolasheski, Commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, gives a brief to caused an atrophy of NCO skill sets. My
General-Colonel Henadii Vorobiov, commander of Land Forces for the Armed Forces of the Ukraine, and his goal is to rejuvenate those skills in two
party during the general’s visit to Fort Carson April 12. different ways.
For the junior leaders, there will be
General Henadii Vorobiov visits 204th a 40-hour team leader course that will
develop the skills I believe are critical
Story and photos by Capt. Timothy Bushnell fired live rounds versus using simulators.
204th Brigade Support Battalion Kolasheski ended the brief outlining the in the garrison environment. While
Fort Carson was honored to have General- noncommisioned officer and officer educa- training is important, what goes on at a
Colonel Henadii Vorobiov, commander of tion timelines to show the similarities in how Soldiers home is equally important. By
Land Forces for the Armed Forces of the we train our leaders at similar phases of their learning how to help Soldiers deal with
Ukraine, visit on April 12. The general’s careers. stress, finances, anger issues that may
presence was part of an invitation from Gen. After the briefing, the general was escorted lead to domestic violence, and substance
George Casey to visit the United States and see around the vehicles in the motor pool that abuse we can prevent some of the blotter
how our military trains to fight under the aus- included an Abrams tank, Bradley Fighting Ve- entries that we are currently seeing.
pices of the Chief of Staff ’s Army Counterpart hicle, and maintenance and recovery vehicles I want senior NCOs to take a more
Visit Program. from the 204th BSB. comprehensive approach. Unlike other
While Division had While talking to Staff people who leave their jobs at night, we
the honor of hosting the Sgt. Samuel Farmer from are Soldiers 24/7. That means this is more
general’s visit, the 204th Company B, 204th BSB, than just a job, this is a lifestyle. Part of
Brigade Support Battal- the general asked about that lifestyle includes taking care of your
ion, 2nd Brigade Combat the different companies troops and their families. My expectation
Team, 4th Infantry Divi- that made up a brigade is that senior NCOs in this brigade will
sion, had the pleasure of support battalion. The visit families, both on and off-post, and
showing off some of its sergeant explained the be more responsive to their needs. This
best Soldiers and equip- supply and transportation is a family and I want the senior NCOs
ment at the 204th BSB functions of Company A, to instill that in their troops. That also
motor pool before the the maintenance capabili- means working closely with the FRG’s to
general went to lunch ties of Company B and the identify ways we can better take care of
in the 2nd BCT dining medical support provided our Soldiers.
facility. by Company C. Overall I am very proud of what we
Col. John S. Kolasheski, The general further are doing and where this brigade is going.
the commander for the inquired about the main- Keep up the great work.
2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., General-Colonel Henadii Vorobiov tenance capability of the Warhorse!
was on hand to brief the general and lead him recovery vehicles and was impressed at the
around the static displays of equipment on array of on-site maintenance that the Soldiers
hand. were able to provide from a towing vehicle.
The visit started with a briefing by Kolashes- The general’s visit to the 204th BSB motor
ki outlining the structure of a brigade combat pool concluded with thanks from both the
team, the timeline for training and preparing general and the brigade commander. After
for deployment, as well as how the brigade Voboriov departed, Kolasheski took his time
incorporates lessons learned into its training. to issue commander’s coins to the assembled
Vorobiov was interested in the typical train- Soldiers who helped make the visit a complete
ing week for the brigade, and how often they success.
page 3 Warhorse Pride Issue 9 April 22, 2010

1-67 trains with live rounds and tanks

Story and photos by Spc. April York
2nd BCT 4th Inf. Div. PAO
Crew members from 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regi-
ment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,
engage enemy targets with their M1A2 Abrams tanks
during a combined arms live fire exercise.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 67th Armor
Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th
Infantry Division execute combined arms live
fire exercises April 13-16 on Ranges 143, 145
and 155.
“The purpose is to train Soldiers on the
basic tasks of live fire operations,” said Lt. Col.
Michael Simmering, the commander of 1st
Bn., 67th Armor Reg.
These basic tasks are maneuvering,
command and control, battle tracking and
positive target identification.
The overall intent was getting tanks,
Bradleys, howitzers, mortars, Apache
helicopters and other systems oriented in one
place to encounter and destroy an enemy force,
Simmering said.
Soldiers were given a scenario where the
enemy force was trying to overtake a small town
to use it for drug trafficking or smuggling, said
1st Lt. Colin O’Toole, the battalion engineer
for 1st Bn., 67th Armor Reg.
“Our job is to make sure that doesn’t
happen,” he said.
In order to achieve their mission, tanks and
Bradleys bounded forward to push the enemy
back while troops on the ground defended
the town. When targets were identified the
tanks and Bradleys engaged with live artillery
rounds. Meanwhile the infantry men were
engaging pop up targets with live fire.
Overall the mission was a success.
Companies identified their weak points and
their strong points and now the Soldiers of 1st
Bn., 67th Armor Reg. are more prepared to
engage the enemy, said O’Toole.
“The main part is getting the team effort
down,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Bushman,
the battalion tank master gunner for 1st Bn.,
67th Armor Reg.
It’s a 360 degree, 3-D battlefield. It’s not just
on the ground; it’s the airspace above it as well,
he said.
When this training is done, the Soldiers of
1st Bn., 67th Armor Reg., will be moving on to
more complex training.
“This is the beginning of a comprehensive
training cycle, which the Army calls ‘Army
Force Generation’, Simmering said.
He explained the next phase is maneuver
training operations, where we go force on force
against mobile, cognitive, living enemies, but
there is no live fire.
“As a Soldier this is what we do. Train for the
worst and hope for the best,” Bushman said.
Crew members from 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regi-
ment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Divi-
sion, bound forward in their Bradley Fighting Vehicle
to push back an enemy force during a combined arms
live fire exercise April 15.

Chaplain’s Corner: give honor and glory

Have you ever been asked, “Do you have
any regrets about your military career?” I have
heard many different answers, but the one that
caught my attention was the comment about
spending more time with family. As we reflect
upon the things that we have done: the good
and the bad, the successes and failures and the
other highpoints, what will you remember the
most?
How about right now? Are you longing
for a new TV, car or perhaps a game
console? Are you chasing after a ribbon or
promotion? Or are you investing in those
whom you love the most?
Amidst the whirlwind and storm of the
Army life, I invite you to take a moment to
reflect on the words of The Mighty Counselor,
“You cannot undo the things you have done.
So, you had better get busy and do the things
that give honor and glory to God. Then, when
you do look back on what you have done, you
can rejoice knowing you have given honor and
glory to the King.”
Blessings
CH (Capt.) Aaron Duhon
2nd STB Chaplain

Warhorse
Pride
Col. John S. Kolasheski..................2nd BCT Commander
Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Barteau.....2nd BCT CSM
Lt. Col. Richard Stebbins................................2nd BCT PAO
2nd Lt. Christopher McMillan....................................Editor
Staff Writers
Sgt. Seth Barham and Spc. April York
The Warhorse Pride is produced in the approved by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team
interest of the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Public Affairs Office.
Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The The Warhorse Pride welcomes articles,
Warhorse Pride is an Army-funded newsletter commentary, and photos from readers. The
authorized under provision of AR 360-1. Warhorse Pride reserves the right to edit
Contents of The Warhorse Pride are submissions selected for the publication.
not necessarily the views of, nor endorsed by All issues of the Warhorse Pride can be
the, U.S. government, Department of Defense, viewed online from your home computer at
Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry www.facebook.com/2bct4id
Division. All editorial content of The War- Submissions should be emailed to the
horse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and editor: c.mcmillan2@us.army.mil