New combat drivers course at Fort Stewart tests soldiers before deployment

FORT STEWART, Ga. (WTOC) — Soldiers with the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart are preparing to drive over tougher terrain at the new Marne Combat Drivers Training Course.

The course is off Highway 144. It has more than a half mile of combat trails and seven obstacles. The Army calls it the first of its kind across the entire 18th Airborne Corps.

How the course was built

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Erick Valentin of the 92nd Engineer Battalion said the course is the largest construction project the unit has taken on.

“To my knowledge, this is the largest construction project that 92nd has taken on, on the installation and abroad,” Valentin said. “It took our survey team about three weeks to survey the entirety of the course, and about eight weeks to fully design the course itself.”

What drivers will face

The design includes steep berms, deep water-fording basins, rocky terrain and mire pits. The course tests drivers before they deploy overseas.

Lt. Col. William Watts of the 92nd Engineer Battalion said the course puts drivers in situations they might not see under normal conditions.

“The idea here is that they get into a situation that they might not see in a normal condition,” Watts said. “So during deployment, they might come across these types of obstacles — berms, wet-gap crossings, rough terrain — and it won’t be the first time, and they’ll understand the limitations and capabilities of their vehicles.”

Safety and readiness

Anthony Harris of the 92nd Engineer Battalion helped build the course. He said it helps prevent accidents for soldiers in the field.

“The whole journey from the start was pretty exciting because I’ve had battle buddies, they had accidents out in the training environment,” Harris said. “And I understand coming out here and being able to train on the different conditions, both day and night in different vehicles, it would help with bringing it down to a minimum.”

Leaders said combat readiness goes hand in hand with soldier safety. Leaders at Fort Stewart believe mastering these hazards at home means fewer accidents and a higher quality of life for those in uniform.

Watts said the course builds soldiers’ lethality and readiness.

“So this is really building soldiers’ lethality and readiness, make them more confident in their abilities to move,” Watts said. “Here at 3rd ID, we focus on the fundamentals, which is shoot, move, and communicate. And this is really getting after the movement part of our fundamentals so we can deploy, fight, and win the nation’s wars.”

Division leaders said the course will be critical in keeping units combat-ready.