A select few tank crews on Fort Hood are getting ready to compete for the Sullivan Cup next month. It's a competition for bragging rights to find out who is the best tank crew in the world.
"It's like the Olympics for tankers. The best crews from all over the world come together, and they compete," PFC Malachi Wingate, the Greywolf Sullivan Cup tank crew driver, said.
They compete in the Sullivan Cup which is a biannual competition between Army Soldiers, US Marines and International Partners to find out who has the best tank crew.
This year, the Greywolf brigade had 84 tank crews competing amongst themselves to earn the chance to represent the brigade at the Sullivan Cup.
One of the main tests was gunnery.
"It shows how well you perform on the battlefield as a tank crew," SPC Damon Hickernell, the tank's gunner, said.
"I think we did pretty well. There's always room for improvement, but we shot a 926, 10 out of 10 engagements, qualified distinguished.. so I think that shows that my crew, or our crew, is pretty lethal," SSG Corey Senf, the tank commander, said.
And it's their lethality, despite being a fairly new crew.
"This is our first gunnery as a crew together, and a lot of these guys, they're new to their positions," SSG Senf added.
That earned them the title of Greywolf's Sullivan Cup crew.
"I never thought I was going to be on it. I heard of it before I joined, but knowing that I'm actually on it now is a great honor," SPC Hickernell added.
The crew will now train day-in and day-out in preparation for the Cup.
"You can't be good enough at anything. There's always room for improvement on weapons and vehicle I.D. and gunnery skills and shooting as well.. and physical fitness. So, I mean, honestly, it's just kinda, kinda perfecting everything as a whole," SSG Senf said.
They will compete from April 30th to May 4th in Fort Benning, Georgia.
"Winning it and bringing the Cup home, it would be awesome," SPC Hickernell said.
The 1st and 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Teams -- Ironhorse and Blackjack -- from Fort Hood will also send a tank crews to compete for the Sullivan Cup.
1st Armored Brigade Combat Team (Ironhorse): 2-12 CAV
- Tank Commander - SSG Richard Gilcrest
- Gunner - SPC Michael Stewart
- Loader - PFC Cody Pelletier
- Driver - PV2 Alexander Hayes
2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (Blackjack): 1-8 CAV
- Tank Commander - SSG Joseph Cabriales
- Gunner - SGT Cody Willis
- Loader - PFC Vince Lakes
- Driver - PFC Elijah Lewis
3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team (Greywolf): 3-8 CAV
- Tank Commander - SSG Corey Senf
- Gunner - SPC Damon Hickernell
- Loader - SPC Cody Campany
- Driver - PFC Malachi Wingate
Copyright 2018 KXXV. All rights reserved.
