Some of the Army’s most modern vehicles waited for their turn to get to the other side at one of Fort Stewart’s ponds.
Soldiers from the 3/69 Armor Battalion joined with soldiers of the 497th Multi Role Bridge Company from the 92nd Engineer Battalion to push some of the Army’s latest armored vehicles across a water obstacle.
“If there is a river and there is no bypass, this is how we get our maneuver elements across,” said 1st Lt. Zak Smarjesse, scout platoon leader for 3/69 Armor. “We can send infantry across all day long. But against modern day threats, we have to have armor and maneuver, we have to get those elements across to gain and maintain ground.”
Soldiers from the 497th MRBC used a series of boats and bridges to ferry a M1A2 SEP v3 Abrams tank, the newest version of the Army’s legendary main battle tank, and the newest version of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, along with the AMPV (armored multi purpose vehicle).
An Abrams tank weighs about 72 tons and a Bradley weighs 44 tons.
“It’s heavy pieces of equipment we’re moving out here,” 1st Lt. Smarjesse said.
The training, the first of its kind on Fort Stewart, helped both the tankers and the engineers.
“It’s a lot of moving pieces at once,” said Sgt. 1st Class Skyler Davis, 497th MRBC platoon sergeant. “So that’s literally what I’m thinking about — making sure everyone is where they need to be.”
In crossing a body of water, dismounted infantry rowed across first in rubber boats to secure the opposite side, in order for the heavy vehicles to be moved across safely.
Watching the engineers at work getting their massive vehicles across the pond also impressed the tankers.
“They are very good at their job,” 1st Lt. Smarjesse said. “They are fast, efficient and professional. This is a leap forward in our capability in terms of training.”
Sgt. 1st Class Davis said his unit’s best time in putting together the bridge needed for the wet gap crossing is 14 minutes.
“We’re always fighting to get a lower time overall,” he said.
Davis, who joined the Army in 2008, also re-enlisted as part of the exercise.
“It’s my soldiers and NCOs who keep me grinding each and every day,” he said.