House of Paine Day - Oct 15th

http://www.kwtx.com/forthood/headlines/16145482.html

FORT HOOD, Texas – Squad-sized elements competed in a five-event stress shoot as their Soldiers pushed a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle, carried boxes of Meals-Ready-to-Eat, ran with heavy logs, and then took a knee to fire at their targets.

Soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, observed the one-year anniversary, Feb. 13., of the hallowed event dubbed the “Bayonet Company’s House of Paine.”

“This event is designed to commemorate the late commander of the unit, Capt. Mark C. Paine, who fell in Iraq in 2006,” said 1st Lt. Adam Dortona, platoon leader, Co. B, 1-66 AR. “It was his legacy to demand absolute perfection from his men and that is what this competition sets out to foster.”

During the event, the squads conducted the strenuous physical training regimen until each member of the individual unit took their turn on the shooting portion of the course.

The squads were rated on how quickly the Soldiers finished the course, and time was deducted at the end of the event for how many successful hits were made on the target, explained Dortona.

“So it pays to be a good shot,” Dortona added.

The event took no more than five hours and instilled a sense of pride in the Soldiers for their unit, he explained.

“I feel pretty confident in our men and their ability to shoot right now,” said 1st Lt. Andrew Ziebell, executive officer, Co. B. “I liked what I saw.”

Most of the events were physically manageable until the squads hit the logs.

“Those logs must have lead in them,” commented Staff Sgt. Derek Baxter, a squad leader assigned to Co. B.

As the squads completed the series of exercises each Soldier was required to fire at a total of six targets; two of each from the standing, kneeling and prone positions.

“Being able to fire a weapon under extreme physical duress is the training objective, and it is what every infantryman should be able to do and do well,” said 1st Lt. John McNulty, a platoon leader assigned to Co. B, 1-66 AR.