Soldiers hone skills on Desert Storm battlefield
by Pfc. Matthew Acosta
CHAMPION MAIN, Kuwait (Army News Service, March 18, 2003) -- While the United States grows closer to war with Iraq, elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C., sharpen their skills on what was once the battlefield of Operation Desert Storm.
Paratroopers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment descended on the Udairi training ranges for three days to polish their urban warfare skills.
The Udairi training range in northern Kuwait has mock buildings to simulate the battlefield. Sgt. Justin Brown, squad leader, Co. D, 1st Bn., 325th A.I.R., leads an anti-armor unit similar to those that aided in the destruction of the Iraqi tanks during the Gulf War in 1991. The unit is also trained in military operations in urban warfare, MOUT, in case the Army is called on to help clear Iraqi cities of Saddam Hussein's soldiers.
"You never know what can happen, so you need to be prepared for anything, including an urban war," Brown said. "This type of additional training is necessary, because if we go into Baghdad,it will be a building-to-building fight."
The unit practiced entering and clearing buildings, shooting in tactical situations and using explosives for breached entering.
Soldiers are rehearsing for the war, according to Staff Sgt. Jesse Burroughs, section leader, Co. D, 1st Bn., 325th A.I.R.
"It's crucial to be completely familiar with this type of warfare, so that if one man were to go down, the next one could step up, and the team could move forward and complete the objective," Burroughs said.
The soldiers expressed confidence in their newly learned tactics.
"We haven't had a lot of this type of training back at Bragg, but since our involvement here, we've been training for MOUT situations every day and have become proficient at it," said Pfc. Brandan Parra, rifleman, Co. D, 1st Bn., 325th A.I.R.
Spc. Daniel Hannon, an M-249 gunner added, "Training here is more realistic; more like a combat situation. We can actually see what our weapons are capable of."
On the way to the range, soldiers passed large scrap yards of destroyed Iraqi armored vehicles left over from the Gulf War.
"It was amazing to see all those vehicles in one area; all destroyed and mangled almost beyond recognition," Brown said. "We did that, and we're ready to do it again when the war starts."
The American forces plan to continue to conduct training operations, sustaining and improving their combat readiness in anticipation of a possible war with Iraq.
(Editor's note: Pfc. Matthew Acosta is a member of the 49th Public Affairs Detachment out of Fort Bragg, N.C.)
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