Soldiers with the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion conducted Soldier readiness exercises this weekend at the Robert L. Poxon Army Reserve Center. These exercises included weapon maintenance, an Army Physical Fitness Test, and mandatory briefings.

“You need to have a functional weapon, and that way, we have eyes on our own team's weapons to make sure that they're clean and ready to go,” said Staff Sergeant Justin Kerbow, Alpha Company Team One Sergeant for the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion.

Kerbow says it also gives Soldiers a chance to train with the weapons and get comfortable with them, so they know how to use the weapon when the time comes.

Physical fitness is also an essential part of Soldier readiness.

"As a five Soldier team, if one of your guys goes down, that's 20% of your team," said Kerbow. "You have to be physically prepared to do whatever it takes to get out of Dodge, to get off the X with that Soldier, because we're not going to leave them behind.”

Along with basic Soldier skills and weapon proficiency, Soldier readiness is ensuring Soldiers know the programs available to them and the expectations of them. Mandatory briefings included Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention, Equal Opportunity, Law of War, and Cyber Security.

“The importance of that is to make sure that Soldiers are aware and tracking out the rules and regulations that are set for them," said 1st Lt. Calvin P Washington III, team chief for the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion Delta Company and SHARP Unit Victim Advocate. These briefings also allow those in leadership positions to know how to take care of their Soldiers and the channels available to use when the time comes.

With these steps, the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion is that much more prepared to serve the people of the United States and engage when they are called to act.