Army’s Soldier of the Month has local ties

Beaufort County soldier wins Top Gun award during Fort Riley gunnery exercise

By Walter Ham

20^th CBRNE Command

Sgt. Jalen Wright, the 1st platoon team leader from the 172nd Chemical Company (Hazard Response), earned the title of battalion Top Gun during the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) gunnery exercise on Fort Riley, Kansas. Wright was named the Soldier of the Month for scoring a 985 during the exercise. Courtesy photo.

FORT RILEY, Kan. – A U.S. Army Chemical Corps Soldier from Beaufort County earned the title of battalion Top Gun during the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) gunnery exercise on Fort Riley, Kan.
Sgt. Jalen Wright, the first platoon team leader from the 172nd Chemical Company (Hazard Response), was named the Soldier of the Month for scoring a 985 during the exercise.
The 172nd Chemical Company “Gladiators” are part of the 2nd Chemical Battalion, 48th Chemical Brigade and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military’s premier multifunctional and deployable CBRNE formation.
From 19 bases in 16 states, Solders and U.S. Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and multinational operations.
U.S. Army Hazardous Response Chemical Companies conduct Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance, surveillance and decontamination operations with conventional and Special Operations forces around the world and provide support to civil authorities across the nation.
The Gladiators primarily operate the NBCRV Stryker during gunnery exercises.
The NBCRVs provide surveillance and detection capabilities to support combat operations. To operate on hostile terrain, the M1135 NBCRV Stryker is armed with M2 mounted 50-caliber machine guns and a Remote Weapons System.
NBCRV commanders are required to demonstrate proficiency with both the M2 50-caliber machine gun and the Remote Weapons System.
“I prepared for the gunnery exercise by reflecting on previous gunnery experiences,” said Wright, a graduate of Whale Branch Early College High School who is originally from Yemassee.
He hopes to serve with Fire Protection Services on Army installations when leaves the Army.
Wright said the gunnery exercise prepares the Gladiators to support combat maneuver forces with mounted and dismounted CBRN reconnaissance and decontamination capabilities.
“The gunnery exercise is an invaluable tool to ensure that my platoon is always ready to shoot, move, communicate and fight any time, any place,” said Wright, an Afghanistan veteran who previously served as a Cavalry Scout before becoming a Chemical Corps Soldier.
Wright said there is no substitute for tough and realistic training to prepare Soldiers for the crucible of combat.
“There’s no such thing as overtraining when your job can kill you,” said Wright. “Staying technically and tactically proficient ensures that you stay dangerous which is invaluable on any battlefield.”