Back to 1st Battalion In the News
Tropic Lightning -- 16 March 2000
 Photo(s) by Sgt. Marcia Triggs  | Soldiers go live: Division conducts CALFEX By Sgt. Marcia Triggs Trekking through the dusty, lava-rock-covered plains of Pohakuloa Training Area soldiers from 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry paused as 3rd Battalion, 4th Cavalry Kiowa Warrior helicopters launched rockets and sprayed the notional enemy with 50-caliber machine gun fire. The helicopter firepower was parting the way for the infantrymen and sappers from the 65th Engineer Battalion to breech an obstacle and take control of a trench. The engineers then used explosives to make an entrance for the infantrymen to come in and clear the trench. Close to 2,000 soldiers, participated in the 25th Infantry Division (Light) Combined arms live fire exercise from Feb. 28 - Thursday. The exercise began when 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry air assaulted onto Bradshaw Army Airfield on the Big Island. The scenario for the exercise placed soldiers in a peace enforcement environment. Soldiers were there to support the government of the fictional Indigo Islands; with the goal of destroying the "anti-forces" training camp. "Our role in the CALFEX was to clear the trench line with our superior fire power and maneuvering tactics," said 1st Lt. Drew Davies, a platoon leader in Company B, 1st Bn., 27th Inf. "One element suppressed the enemy with fire and forced them to keep their heads down, while another element sneaked up on them from the side. They never knew what ran them over." Other units and soldiers such as 3rd Bn., 4th Cav., sappers, mortars, artillerymen and air defense, had similar missions. To collectively work together without interfering with each other's mission, the units trained together in the rear before entering the live fire maneuver area. Units communicate and train a lot on Oahu so that they have cohesiveness during combined arms training exercises, said Davies. An exercise of this magnitude has not occurred on Oahu since 1997 in Makua Valley. The purpose of any CALFEX is to train as the division would fight as a combined arms team, said 1st Lt. Marvin King, S3 for 2nd Brigade. The difference in terrain and weather at PTA was the biggest learning experience for some soldiers. "I learned how rugged the environment is and how hard it is to walk on lava rocks at night," said Pfc. Jose Alfaro, gunner for Co. B, 1st Bn., 27th Inf. "It also gets really cold here at night, which was a learning experience for me compared to going to the field on Oahu." The exercise ended with an air assault mission conducted by 1st Bn., 27th Inf., at Dillingham Army Airfield on Oahu's North Shore, March 14. |
