Soldiers of Fort Polk’s 51st Chemical Company participated in convoy training Thursday at Fort Polk’s Jarvis Training Site.
This training exercise was similar to a diagnostic test gauging the soldiers' preparedness when operating a convoy with the potential for improvised explosive devices.
“We are constantly aware of our surroundings and are on the lookout for things out of the ordinary,” said Spc. Wesley Smith. ,
While traveling in the convoy soldiers continually search the roadside for potential hazards. Unfortunately, most IED’s don’t look like bombs. They can be as innocent as a soda can placed near the roadway or as nondescript as an obviously broken cell phone.
One thing is certain; nothing too great or too small is taken for granted by soldiers on the lookout for IED’s.
Throughout the exercise, vehicles carrying soldiers and supplies traveled single file with approximately 300 feet between each vehicle. When an IED would detonate, the remaining vehicles would back out of the “kill zone,” and soldiers would dismount to provide security.
Throughout the event, the stop and go, mount and dismount continued until each vehicle had made it through the training course.
At the end of the exercise, an after-action review allowed soldiers and their leadership to discuss the training and identify areas that need improvement as well as areas of success.
"You soldiers did a very good job of remaining calm during the attacks," Lt. Ben Fitting, commander of the 51st Chemical Company told the soldiers. "You performed exactly how we rehearsed.”
Fitting also said that their is always room for improvement before going into further detail of what went right and what didn’t during the exercise.
“This was a great day for training and a great day in the Army, Hooah,” said Fitting.