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

Issue 19 July 29, 2010

Warhorse Brigade heads to Pinon Canyon

Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Special Troops Battal- HHT Soldiers unroll the bladder that pushes up the tent allowing the Soldiers to
ion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, set out the first piece of the erect the sides July 20. The main body of the tent has four openings which allows
Tactical Operations Center during the the set up phase for Pinon Canyon, July 19. each section to set up their own tent off the main cell.
Story and photos by Spc. April York supplies and rolled out to Pinon Canyon on The TOC enables the battalion commanders
2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO July 19 to conduct force on force training. The to conduct command and control for their
Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, initial group of Soldiers, who were called the Soldiers participating in the training, said
4th Infantry Division, loaded their Humvee’s torch party, were sent to set up their battalion’s Capt. Richard Ferrell, commander of
and Light Medium Tactical Vehicles with Tactical Operations Center (TOC). continued on page 2

Command Sergeant Major’s Corner to an objective on a tank

Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Alvarado, CSM
2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment
Train as you fight. As we get
ready to deploy to Pinon Canyon
for some maneuver training, at
both the company and battalion
level (and some of the brigade will
be doing the same here at Fort
Carson), I would like to harp on
the need to continue the focus on
individual and team/squad level
tasks.
In order for a team or squad
to maneuver and complete its
mission the individuals must
be trained in their tasks such as
map reading and land navigation,
the proper use of hand and arm
signals, how to move as a member
of a fire team, and how to react
to the actions of their leaders,
when you see your leader freeze
and aim his weapon. What is this
telling me? What actions should
I take? Is this a type of hand and
arm signal?
We talk about the task transfer
from mechanized operations
to dismounted operations and
might not completely realize
that those tasks might really be
few and far between. Moving
or in the back of a Bradley
is not the same as moving
dismounted as a squad and
platoon. The communication
while dismounted will be
primarily the use of hand and
arm signals (want to keep
the element of surprise). The
formations will be traveling,
traveling over watch and
bounding over watch which
you cannot replicate in the
back of a Bradley. We must
use all available time to get
our Soldiers, teams and squads
trained on these tasks.
continued on page 2
page 2
2nd brigade movement to Pinon Canyon
Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Divison, conduct Medical Evacuation training in Huey’s
with help from pilots with the United States Air Ambulance Detachment from Yakima, Wash.
continued from page 1
Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd
Special Troops Battalion. or CONEX’s, which held essential mission
Soldiers traveled more than 160 miles in
their vehicles and made only one stop to refuel.
Large convoys were broken down into smaller
groups with a travel time of approximately
six hours, to help maintain the traffic flow on
Interstate 25.
“The movement down to Pinon Canyon was
well organized and we had very few vehicles
that broke down,” said Ferrell.
When the Troops arrived plans were
put into motion to get Soldiers out to their
2-8 assists locals rescue wolves
Story by 2nd Lt. Nathan Larsen
2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment
Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion,
8th Infantry Regiment, have been volunteering
at Care-Again.
The 15 acre ranch where the wolf rescue
organization is located near Cripple Creek is
run by a woman named Jackie. Her vision is
to establish a sanctuary for wolves that might
otherwise be killed by frustrated farmers.
Typically, she will receive a complaint about
a wolf and she will have it trapped and
transported to the ranch.
Sgt. Crespo,3rd platoon, Compnay C,
described the work as primarily consisting of
putting up fences, cleaning and laying cement.
Crespo, Spc. Trevino, and Pfc. Jacobs have
helped out at the ranch already.
Jackie’s immediate need is to lay gravel
and cement for a 30x32 foot Quanset hut.
Her deadline for having this project complete
is prior to August. If it is not ready by the
Warhorse Pride
designated areas of operation to set up
their TOC’s. Military shipping containers
readiness equipment, were at the site prior to
the arrival of Troops.
Soldiers were provided Billeting, restrooms,
and showers for their first night on site.
Each battalion brought their own sleep
accommodations which they set up on the
following day.
“The movement allowed us to identify our
strengths and weaknesses that we can now
focus on during this training opportunity,”
said Ferrell.
inspection deadline, she will lose the permit
for the entire place.
As Company C is going to the field at the
end of July, July 16 to 18 will be the last time
they will be able to help out at the ranch.
If you would like to find out more about
Care-Again and how you can help, Jackie
can be reached at 719-432-5067. Charlie
company’s other volunteer projects have
included a Christmas dinner at the Veterans
Affairs Hospital and help with the homeless of
Colorado Springs.
Issue 19 July 29, 2010
continued from page 1
While out conducting training both at
Pinon Canyon and here at Fort Carson we
must make sure our units move at night
in fighting formations while using their
Night Vision Devices. They must become
proficient and comfortable moving
at night while dismounted. When we
transition to Phase two we will have time
to train on these tasks at the collective
level, but not as much as one might desire
at the individual level, so we must work
them now. When we do train remember
that there is a difference between trained
and proficient. While a unit can be
trained on and tested on a task one time
that will not make that unit proficient. In
order for a unit to be proficient that unit
must conduct that task multiple times so
that the members become comfortable
with the actions required of them, it
should be second nature.
One way to work on battle drills to
help become more proficient is to conduct
a battle drill once a week on an open field
such as a football or baseball field this
can be done at the end of the PT session
or in the middle. Run or foot march to
the field execute a battle drill and then
finish the run or foot march. When it is
done in an open field all the members
of the unit can see what each element is
doing so when it is executed in a wooded
environment they do not have to see
each element to know what those other
elements are doing as part of the overall
drill. Remember training is everything
and everything is training.
page 3 Warhorse Pride Issue 19 July 29, 2010

Snakes in your neighborhood catching snakes for many years and I’ve never
been bitten by a non-venomous snake that I
didn’t provoke. You should never attempt to
Story by Safety Ed triangular shape and become aggressive. They capture a snake if you are not skilled at snake
2nd Brigade Combat Team Safety Officer are common in gardens and often seen on identification and snake handling techniques.
Spring is the time of year when you are lawns. Their bites are rarely painful, but when Virtually all snake encounters, including
most likely to see a snake. There are only three handled they often emit a very unpleasant foul encounters with an unfriendly rattlesnake, can
snake species that you are likely to encounter smelling liquid from their anal scent gland. be successfully resolved by stepping away from
in and adjacent to Fort Carson housing areas: How do you tell the difference between the snake.
the Bullsnake, the Western Terrestrial Garter a garden-variety non-venomous snake and If you suspect that you have a rattlesnake
Snake, and the Western or Prairie Rattlesnake. a potentially deadly one? At face value, in your yard, leave it alone and call the DPW
Only one, the Prairie Rattlesnake, is venomous, this seems a fairly easy task for Colorado Wildlife Office, 524-5395. We will capture and
but it is rather uncommon in developed areas. Springs area residents. We have one species transport it out of the neighborhood. Snakes
In the last 10 years only a few have been of rattlesnake, and all rattlesnakes in North are cool and one of our most beneficial animals.
removed from the housing area. The two America have triangular heads, rattles on
species of snake most likely to be encountered
are the Bullsnake and Western Terrestrial
the tip of their tail, and vertical pupils. No
problem! Unless the rattles are broken off! And
Chaplain’s Corner
Garter Snake. All snakes bite and will do so if
harassed or when they are shedding their old
who wants to get close enough to actually see
the vertical pupils? But there’s an added danger need to train
skin. most snake watchers rarely consider. In any During battle Soldiers needs to remain
Bullsnakes can look and urban environment, there is always the focused on the mission as well as trust their
act like a rattlesnake, but possibility that a snake without a equipment.
unlike rattlers they are rattle is a poisonous snake. When Soldiers have confidence in
not venomous. They This is because lots of themselves as well as in their equipment and
are the most commonly people love snakes and training, their limitations become trivial.
encountered snake keep them as pets, However, the only way to build that confidence
on the Mountain Post— and sometimes a pet is to train, train and train some more. When
probably because they are active during snake escapes. Unless you think you’re proficient, keep training.
the day and because of their large size. you are skilled in snake Always train as you fight.
Although essentially harmless, identification, you are taking a The purpose of training is to prepare for
the Bullsnake is often confused chance if you simply assume the snake is not battle. The more we train the more likely we
with the rattlesnake because of t he i r venomous because you don’t see a rattle. On are to win the battle. The same goes for our
coloration and diamond-shaped markings the other hand, the often touted sure sign of a spiritual life. If you take refuge in God and
on their backs. When cornered or harassed poisonous snake is a triangular-shaped head. trust his will, spiritual warfare becomes that
a Bullsnake will coil, flatten its head into a But this is not a great indicator, either. An much easier.
triangular shape, hiss loudly, and vibrate its aroused and defensive non-venomous snake The more time we spend in his light, the
tail in a perfect imitation of a rattlesnake. will often change its head shape before it tries better prepared for battle we will be. As we
Although mostly terrestrial, Bullsnakes will to bite you. head off to training let us hear the confidence
climb trees. The Bullsnake is a constrictor and Snakes have attitudes. If sufficiently of the palmist, “Praise be to the Lord, my Rock,
suffocates its prey before eating. Their food is warmed, almost all snakes will coil and strike who trains my hands for war, my fingers for
mostly rodents, especially mice and voles— if provoked, but the only snake species likely battle. He is my loving God and my fortress,
species common in most housing areas. to bite without warning is the rattlesnake. If my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield,
Garter snakes are found across much a non-venomous snake bites you, then you are in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples
of North America and ours, the Western probably provoking the snake. If you chase a under me.” Psalms 144:1-2
Terrestrial, is drab brown with a yellowish snake, attempt to capture it, poke at it with a Blessings
stripe running down its back. When harassed stick, or let your dog mess with it, the snake Chaplain (Maj.) Ricky Way
they too can flatten their heads into a will probably respond aggressively. I’ve been 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div.

Warhorse
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,
Pride 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
Col. John S. Kolasheski..................2nd BCT Commander Contents of The Warhorse Pride are submissions selected for the publication.
Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa............2nd BCT CSM 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
Spc. April York........................................Layout and Design Division. All editorial content of The War- Submissions should be emailed to the
Sgt. Seth Barham............................................................Editor horse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and editor: seth.barham1@conus.army.mil