While other units were jogging down Battalion Avenue in formation and singing cadences during morning physical training, “Warhorse” soldiers were in full battle gear as they prepared for confrontation with an opposing force.
Soldiers were tracking a potential bomb-making facility, and had to maneuver through enemy forces, while providing wide-area security, to find the facility and disarm the threat.The idea behind the July 3 training scenario of 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, was to provide all the components of a full-scale operation with a physical training element thrown in, said Lt. Col. Esli T. Pitts, battalion commander.
West Point Cadet Ben Ferrell '14 also participated as part of his three-week cadet troop leadership training (CTLT). The rising senior said he had no idea he would get the chance to serve as a platoon leader in a training scenario.
"It’s been a great experience," Ferrell said. "I definitely failed, but getting the experience to fail, I learned a lot. They didn’t intervene and I’m learning from my mistakes and making mistakes."