Video

Video by Spc. Nathan Mach

Tank Foxholes B-Roll

318th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

June 12, 2016 | 6:40

Soldiers of the 277th Vertical Engineer Company of San Antonio, Texas use their skills to practice building foxholes to provide the 155th Brigade Combat Team from the Mississippi National Guard cover for their tanks. These units are working together as part of the Multi Echelon Integrated Brigade Training exercise on Fort Hood, Texas. Includes interviews with Staff Sgts. Joe Valdez and Dwayne Goodell, both of 277th Vertical Engineer Company, San Antonio, Texas.

More than a thousand soldiers from the active duty Army, National Guard and Army Reserve participated in the 2016 Multi-Echelon Integrated Brigade Training here from June 4 - 24.
The Army Reserve 980th Engineering Battalion assisted National Guard brigade combat teams during the annual three-week training exercise.
Valdez said the defensive fighting positions they made were foxholes, but instead of being for infantry soldiers they were for artillery tanks. The fighting positions protected the tanks by decreasing their visibility.
Valdez said the 277th Engineer Company used new bulldozers. Soldiers needed to familiarize themselves with the equipment.
Goodell said terrain provided challenges that forced soldiers to adapt and overcome challenges. Every operator has a different technique. Valdez said their platoon stepped up to overcome obstacles.