- TrevorLarkum
Dontos, I hadn't - small world! My unit never got involved with CAT while I was in, a real shame as it was right up my street. The highlight of my (brief compared to most of you guys) career was to get the accolade of top troop leader for my unit on ranges, Hohne, 1989.
CAT was 99.9% political. I knew of it before 1987 when the M-1's of 4/8 CAV shot high platoon. When 'we' (4/32 Armor) were chosen to compete, I was a newly promoted E-5, rookie gunner. It was perhaps one of the highest points of my career. One of the lowest points, was following my Platoons 'battle run'. The realization that we didn't 'WIN' was crushing (along with placing 20th of 21 firing platoons.) No excuses, we failed. The fact that two of our tanks had mechanical malfunctions during the run, and we still did the best we could, with the odds stacked against us was no consulation, WE DIDN'T WIN.
My 'badge'. All Centag participants wore one of these.
OH, something I just remembered:
Do you remember the supposed IRA threat to a visiting VIP at Bergen-Hohne. I think it was April 89, but not sure.
We happened to be there at the tail end of the super-hi threatcon. Orbke 1 (where we had the temporary barracks) was locked down, armed roving guards, and very strict no foot traffic after dark mandate.
As for Ranges, I think Range 9 is one of the most challanging I have ever shot. I know that CAT scenarios where fairly tame (although the rules & scoring was a nightmare) but I really came to love Range 9.
Regards
Don