FORT PICKETT -- When Company C, 1/116th Infantry got an intelligence report that the enemy was holding a main road intersection in their area the unit was ready to go.

The soldiers quickly prepared an attack on "Objective Coolidge," as division and brigade dubbed the opposing force’s position. Objective Coolidge consisted of an M-113 armored personnel carrier and a squad of soldiers belonging to the 1st of the 41st Marcalan Infantry.

"This is an enemy security outpost," said Capt. John Epperly, commander, Company C. "We want to take it out and take control of this major intersection." The intersection is a main artery and controlling it would ensure the flow of personnel and re-supply to the units in the field.

Epperly explained that this is the unit’s first objective after coming into country. When the soldiers were unloaded at the air field, they immediately had to start movement to the objective.

The platoon assesses their performance in an After Action Review.

Usually the soldiers have some downtime to prepare for the move, according to the commander. But in this situation they had to "hit the ground running." The soldiers moved across about two miles of rough terrain, much of which was swampland.

The assault took place in daylight, which also was out of the ordinary, said Epperly. Most of the infantry’s movements and assault operations are performed at night under the cover of darkness.

But the soldiers performed to standard, quickly moving their squads to overtake the objective and secure the roadway against further Marcalan occupation.