Pershing

'Exercise Successful!'
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Safety la the main goal In aN Army tr11lnlng and the Rhine River croaalng, wtllch Incurred no IICCtdentll or ln)vrtff, one ol the highlights ol 'CarbOn 81anf'.

Gerard J. Hart
Some things were different for Carbon Bluer 89.
The weather behaved. Missiles did nor go to rhe field.
However, the opportunity to support, operate, and
communicate over extended distances and unfamiliar
areas remained the same u in put Carbon Bluers.
The S6th Field Anillcry Command conducted iu
semiannual field t.raining exercise from 5 June until
14 J unc in areas both cur and west of the Rhine ri
ver. More than 3,000 soldiers and 1,000 vehicles
participated in the exercise.
This year's Carbon Bluer exercise involved all the
suppon clemenu and the command and conuol cent
crs for the 56th FA Command. The Pershing missiles
controlled by the centers did not go to the field. The
missiles remained in their respective miuile storage
areas.
Carbon Bl2ur's purpose was 10 focus on the S6th
FA Command's mnsion essential task list (METL).
Commanding and controlling the deployed force wu
one of the key clements.
Command and control centers down to pl2toon le
vel participated in the exercise. Since C arbon Bluer
was conducted without the Persh.ings in the field, the
centers could concentrate on the procedures used
during a deployment and practice contingency plans.
Another wk wu to practice the sustainment of
comb2t operations after deployment. Each of the
three Pershing task forces deployed with their normal

Update FYI
DA Photos
If picture is worth a thousand words, what words
wo uld be used to describe the photognphs in your
soldiers' records? Many soldiers have the photograph
taken and give little consideration to how well they
look or the quality of the photo.
The Centralized Enlisted Selection Board members
look - and they care, too. These photos arc critical
because they are the first thing most board members
check.
Members ensure the photo is in the file, is current,
conveys a professional appeuance, and is of good quality.
A negative ans..,er in any of these areas may create
a negarive impression of 1he soldier.

support slice. fu 2- 4 Infantry, 38th Signal, and

55th Support banalions headquarters all went to the
field where they practiced all the missions expccced
during wartime.
Frequent moves challenged the sustainment operations during Carbon Bluer. The units provided uninterrupted support during the exercises despite the
moves.
Survivability operations was the final METL item
practiced during Carbon Blazer. Individual skills
such as operations in an NBC (nuclear, biological,
chemical) environment and camouflage were suessed.
Collective skills in movement, occupation of assembly areas, and othen received soldier and leaden
attention.
.
The majority of the deployment occurred June 6
when the Command moved to field sites east of the
Rhine River.
One of the most exciting events took place on June
8 when selected Command units conducted a river
crossing of the Rhine. The 850th Schwimm Brucke
Battalion assisted the Command by ferrying troops
and equipment at four different crossing
points. After the river crossinf Command units continued 10 their second area o operations where th,ey
r:cmained through the weekend. The three day stay in
the area allowed leaders to conduct training in field
craft and also reduced traffic on the German roads
during the weekend rccre2tion time.
On June 12, paru of the Command made a final
A missing or outd.ted photo suggests a soldier
e;ther d<>C$n't care about selection or is trying to hide
something. ls the soldier overweight? A sloppy phot
speaks for itself.
AR 64030, Photographs for Military Personnel Files, requires soldiers have one ta.ken within 60 days of
promotion to staff sergeant and every three ycan
thereafter.
Arcplacement photo is also required when the
present photo doesn't reflect the soldier's currmt St.a
tus.
The first commander in the soldier's chain of command may also direct the soldier to submit a nn.r
photo.
Selection board members have noted the following
problems most frequenily.
- Soldiers wear poorly fined uniforms.
- Haircuts and moustaches are not trimmed in
accordance with Army regulations.
- There is incorrect d.ta on the menu board.
- Soldicn' appearance is sloppy - wrinkled uniforms, poor posture.

move to a third area of operations. This move tested

the Command's ability to communicate and support
over long distances.
Brig. Gen. RoJcr K. Bean ended the tactical portion of the nerctsc around 10 a. m. on June 13.
"I want our soldien to remove the C2mouflage,
clean their areas, and march order their vehicles in
d.ylight. Then I want them to get some sleep before
the long trip back to the home station," Brig. Gen.
Bean told his unit commanders. "Our safety performance has been excellent so far. And we will con
tinue thinking safety and acting safely all the way
home.
At a commanders' meeting in a field sire, the unit
commanders discussed the succeu of Cubon Blazer
with Brig. Gen. Bean before the redeployment.
The three Pershing banalion commandcn said the
aercise provided numerous training opportunities
for them. All agreed that the river crossing was a high
point for their soldiers. The le.1ders were able to concentrate on the command and control proGess with
both the Command and their subordinate uniu. The
Pershing battalion commanders were also pleased
with the contingency training they were able 10 conduct.
Lt. Col. Kun M,eyer, commander of the 2-4 Infantry Battalion, said that his soldiers were able to
concentrate more on survivability skills and weapons
uaining than other field exercises because they did
not have to provide security for the Pershing missiles
during this Carbon Bl.u.er.
fu 55th Support Banalion commander, Lt. Col.
Richard Caner, said it was a good exercise for his
soldiers. They were able to implement routine logistic operations quickly and fix every problem that
developed in the field.
"The acrcisc gave our new people a feel for the
overall banalion mission. It also chall.,nged the ban.alion bccause we had not had such a larg,e exercise
since Carbon Blazer 87," said Lt. CoL Michael
Tercy, the )8th Signal Battalion commander.
The Command redeployed to garrison on June 14
where soldicn ended Carbon Bluer by pc:rtorming
their normal recovery operations. The cleaning and
maintenance of equipment prepared the Command
for the next round of fidd exercises during the
rummer and fall.

Selection boards will continue to emplusize the

importance of a cuncht and sharp-looking official
photognpb.
One board president said, "The hard copy photograph is the soldier's personal statement of professionalism to the board.

USAREUR license
For a U.S. Forces military or civilian component
mm1ber to drive a civilian vehicle, a valid USAR.EUR
license is required per UR 19()..t. Even thouith the
Gertnan rental car agencies only require a valid driver's license (Conus State license), UR 190- 1 requires a
USAREUR license. To rent a German rental car on
anything other than a valid USAREUR driver's license would be a violation of a written order or re
gulation, and punisluble under UCMJ. Family
members must have a USAREUR POV license when
operating a USAREUR-regis1cred vehicle.

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Gas! Gas! Gu! After being sprayed with chemicals (almulated) by the enemy's
,1rcraft, aoldl81'8 of Alpha Company, 38th Signal Bllltllllon nin to carry fellow soldier to the ne,NtBt medic to get necnae,y medlclll lltbtnllon. Throughout the eur
clM, aot dlera _,. required to pertom, their mfulons In all mfulon orientated protective posture lev91a uro to lour.

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Freq-at Plyer. The 193rd Avlellon Company flew tn IIOldlen from S.CUrtty

Pllltoon, HNclquertwa end HMdq'*'8n Company, 2nd Betlellon, 4th ln,.ntry Regiment to MCU1W m1..11e ait. after - Y troope - . 11ghted
(almui.ted) In the - - . Solcllen from BnlYo 2-4'1 aoout platoon proyidld
.-1m111er defenae for the !ending zone. A hMty troop Insertion la - of the
contlngencle$ elev.toped for mlulle -,rtty.

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Boa Appetit. Spec. Cindy Hall, Hndquemn nd Hndquemn Company, 38th
Signal Saitellon servaa 5 Angel Acoate, HHC 38th, a IM81 that' flt for king.
Without nourlahlng meal auch H thla, commend aoldleni couldn't have eccornpllahed 1htlr mlulon.

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"Halt! Wbo goes there?" Putting tha finishing toucflea on hla gurd poat,
Spec. Curtla
Alpha Company, 38th Signal Bllttellon know, flrat hand that
11'8 better to - than be '"" In ed'dltlon to guarding perlmetera, aoldlera prectlced skllla such es challenge and password end 11,0 nolae, llght end litter dltclpllne.

w,Jt.,.,

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Stoot, IDllpl skills. Members of Scout Platoon, Brevo Complny, 2nd Bettallon,

4th Infantry Regiment stop In the woodl to look over map. Pie. Zachery W1Ulem1
(left) end Spec. Brien Christy 81\lcly the map whlle PYt. 2 Brien Gould rldea behind
.50 cellber mechlna gun. Excanent map sldlls Wllnt necaaalty for ell commend aol
dlera beceuN of Iha mountelnoua tmiln and andle81 beckroacla they nvelled dur
Ing 'c.,t,on Blazer' preparing for their combat minion.