804th MED BDE Home Station Extended Combat Training
804th Medical Brigade conducted their FY 16 Home Station Extended Combat Training (ECT) at Ft. Devens, MA from 05-18 JUN 2016.
The ECT kicked off with a record APFT the morning of 06 JUN, and was followed by a Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) event focusing on medical and personnel readiness. Following the SRP, the Brigade began split operations between Main and South Post. Half of the Brigade conducted online & classroom-based training throughout the first week on Main Post, to include Nutrition, SHARP, CSF2, ASAP, Suicide Prevention, and OPSEC classes, as well as weapons training at the EST 2000. Consolidated training events on Main Post included 68W Sustainment, BLS Certification, the UPL Course, and the Combat & Operational Stress Control Course.
Concurrently, the other half of the Brigade conducted field training on South Post, to include M9 Qualification, M16 Zero and Qualification, Leadership Reaction Course, and Team Obstacle Course. Additional training included communication architecture setup and operations, pull-up competition, field feeding operations, M9 and M16 PMI, vehicle PMCSs, and one unit going through the gas chamber. Also, 405th Combat Support Hospital was evaluated by 3rd Medical Command (Deployment Support) during meal preparation for the Connelly Competition.
The units rotated between Main and South Post over the weekend, and the schedule for Week 2 largely mirrored Week 1’s.
The morning of 17 JUN, the Brigade held a small ceremony to present Commander’s Coins to personnel who distinguished themselves from their peers during the ECT. Following the ceremony, key leaders participated in an AAR to discuss ways to sustain and improve how the Brigade plans and executes operations. In the afternoon, the Brigade held an MWR event consisting of a cookout, various sports, and movie showings in the Hall of Flags.
HHC BDE soldiers manning the grill during the MWR event
