1st Battalion 22nd Infantry at Fort Irwin 2012

Sergeant First Class Scott Veldt, infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment,
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducts a safety brief, reminding his Soldiers to remain safe and vigilant
prior to a tactical road march at the National Training Center on Fort Irwin, Calif., Oct. 25, 2012.

(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Andrew Ingram, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.)

Story by Pfc. Andrew Ingram 1st Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office 4th Infantry Division

FORT IRWIN, Calif. – Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division, began an intense two-week training gauntlet with a tactical road march to their area of responsibility
in the training area during the predawn hours, at Fort Irwin, Calif., Oct. 25.

After a week at the National Training Center’s reception area, known as Logistics Staging Area Warrior,
the “Regulars” set out under the cover of darkness to begin a training regimen designed to test their abilities
when facing a myriad of challenges, such as partnering with the fictional Atropian Security Forces, and threats,
such as attacks from the fictional nation of Donovia.

“We are headed out to conduct a decisive action mission, which means we could come up against anything,”
said Command Sergeant Major Timothy Edwards, senior enlisted leader, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt.
“we will most likely face conventional forces from the (fictional) nation of Donovia as well as insurgents
from the (fictional) local Atropian population.”

Before the Regulars mounted their vehicles and convoyed to their temporary home in the Mojave Desert,
senior noncommissioned officers gathered their Soldiers to conduct safety briefs.

“One thing I really want to emphasize to the young Soldiers especially, is safety,” said Sergeant First Class Scott Veldt,
infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment. “We have an important mission
out here, but this is training not combat I don’t want to see any of my Soldiers hurt or killed because of a preventable mistake.”

In the months leading up to their rotation the Regulars spent weeks in the Fort Carson training area honing their skills
through constant drills and exercises.

“I feel very confident in my Soldiers, said Veldt. “They are very focused and I believe they are ready for everything
the trainers out here will throw at them.”

Private First Class Seth Vordermark, infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 22nd Inf. Regt.,
said he is eager to get out into “The Box” as Soldier call the NTC training area, to prove his unit’s competence.

“For a lot of us who haven’t deployed yet this is the biggest test we’ve faced so far,” Vordermark said.
“I think how we perform here will do a lot to earn the respect of our leaders and prove we have what it takes
to handle the stress of a combat deployment.”

Edwards said he looks forward to watching his Soldiers enhance their skills during the course of the two-week crucible.

“Out here all I can ask from my Soldiers is to get better every day, have fun, hone their individual skills and for
our young leaders to always build on their platoon’s collective tasks,” Edwards said. “I believe that is where the rubber
meets the road, down at the platoon level. With our young leaders handling business and looking out for their Soldiers
we are going to do very well here at NTC.”

The Regular Convoy exited their staging area in darkness, headlights off, relying on night vision goggles
to navigate the dirt roads of the training area.

“You can’t be too careful,” Edwards said. “The enemy could already be looking for us.”

FORT IRWIN, Calif. – Specialist Stuart Miler, infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion,
22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, performs preventative maintenance checks and services
on his Humvee before his unit conducts a tactical road march at the National Training Center on Fort Irwin, Calif., Oct. 25, 2012.

(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Andrew Ingram, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.)

Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, commence
a tactical road march to their unit’s area of responsibility at the National Training Center on Fort Irwin, Calif., Oct. 25, 2012.
After leaving the convoy staging area, the “Regulars” shut off their headlights and continued through the darkness
using night-vision goggles to navigate the training area’s improved roads.

(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Andrew Ingram, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.)

Photo from:

Decisive-Action Training Rotations:
'Old School Without Going back In Time'
Text and photos by Dennis Steele,
ARMY Magazine February 2013

Decisive-Action Training Rotations: 'Old School Without Going back In Time' Text and photos by Dennis Steele, ARMY Magazine February 2013

Original caption reads:
...the 1-22 Infantry commander, LTC Steve Adams (right) uses an interpreter to converse with an NTC contractor
role-playing the part of a provincial governor during the 1st BCT/4th ID decisive-action training rotation.

Decisive-Action Training Rotations: 'Old School Without Going back In Time' Text and photos by Dennis Steele, ARMY Magazine February 2013