Soldiers assigned to the 84th U.S. Army Reserve Training Command conducted readiness activities Aug. 6-8 at Fort Knox despite COVID-related challenges.

The Soldiers employed an engagement skills trainer, qualified on weapons and completed a diagnostic Army Combat Fitness Test during the largest battle assembly in recent memory.

“It was a very busy weekend.” said Staff Sgt. Edwin Torres, the training noncommissioned officer in charge for the training command. “With the engagement skills trainer, the range, the ACFT, we had a lot going on. However, the feedback was positive.”

The Army Reserve faces training challenges as the COVID-19 Delta variant spreads across the country in alarming numbers. Fort Knox and surrounding areas have been designated as high-risk zones by the Centers for Disease Control.

In response, many Army Reserve units, including the 84th Training Command, have reinstated masking requirements for all Soldiers regardless of vaccination status.

“I know most Soldiers who were out there had concerns, and leadership was concerned about distance and safety,” Torres said. “Safety is a priority.”

In its mission statement, the command emphasizes realistic combat support training with a focus on leadership and Soldier development in preparation for combat operations, capitalizing their commitment to the people in their organization, readiness, and modernization.

“Troop motivation was high,” Torres said. “They wore masks in the vehicles, and we ensured that the Soldiers were issued masks to comply with training requirements.”