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News | Dec. 16, 2022

Spartans Soldiers conduct FTX

By Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lower 1st Theater Sustainment Command

Soldiers from 1st Theater Sustainment Command’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, “Spartans,” trained on providing defense to an area during a field training exercise Nov. 15-18, 2022, at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

The Spartans used the four-day exercise to train on multiple warrior tasks and battle drills. That training included qualifying on weapon systems, establishing and maintaining security for a perimeter, setting up a center for operations, calling in a nine-line medical evacuation, and loading casualties on to Army aircraft.

HHC commander, Capt. Koty Caldwell emphasized the importance of returning to the fundamentals. “The basics are where we most commonly see faults. So, if we get back to the basics, we get back to what it means to be a Soldier - where we can correct some of the mistakes we’ve had in the past.”

Cpl. Cody Harris, a newly arrived team leader within the 1st TSC’s G-6 department, appreciated the opportunity the training provided to both him and his Soldiers.

“I came from a battalion level element at another sustainment unit, and they did not go as deep with their training as we are with this exercise. This is so much closer to an actual simulation of what could happen.”

The training event also gave Harris a chance to evaluate his Soldiers under conditions they will face when they find themselves forward deployed one day.

He was able to see where his team was strong, and where they could train to improve. “This training shows me that they know what they’re doing. We can shape future training to get them prepared and the next time they do an exercise like this that it’ll be a refresher rather than their first time going through.”