Cav unit partners with National Guard

Photo By Master Sgt. Charles Burden | Col. Jeffrey Van (left), commander of the 155th Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi Army National Guard, shares a story with Col. Matthew Van Wagenen (right), Oct. 17 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The two commanders will highlight their brigade’s partnership in efforts to expand the Active Component and Reserve Component partnership program during a decisive action rotation, the eXportable Combat Training Capability 15-5, scheduled for next year at Camp Shelby.  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

10.31.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Charles Burden 

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. – In keeping with U.S. Army Forces Command Total Force Policy initiative, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division recently visited Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to discuss future training events with 155th Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi Army National Guard.

“Our partnership with the 155th (BCT) affords both organizations the opportunity to become more combat ready,” said Col. Matthew Van Wagenen, commander of the 3rd BCT. “I have every confidence that we will see the difference from the individual Soldier level thru collective brigade battle staffs.”

The two units discussed and planed joint training events ranging from a gunnery academy to the brigades exchanging standard operating procedures.

“Our blended training concepts and joint BDE level operations will lead to an AC/RC (active component/ reserve component) proficiency that benefits the division and total heavy force as a whole,” said Col. Jeffrey Van, commander of the 155th BCT, MSANG.

Soldiers from the both units are scheduled to train together at Camp Shelby during a decisive action rotation called the eXportable Combat Training Capability 15-5 next summer.

Active duty units typically use one of two stateside training locations for higher echelon combat training — the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

The Army National Guard now has its own location for similar training – the XCTC at Camp Shelby.

The 3rd BCT’s recent visit to Camp Shelby highlighted the brigades’ efforts to expand the AC/RC partnership program and leverage opportunities to participate in Army Total Force Training.

In this year’s October edition of Army Magazine, General Mark Milley, the commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command, spoke on how FORSCOM will implement the Army Total Force Training.

“To accomplish our mission, FORSCOM operates as a strong, integrated total Army team-active component (AC), Army National Guard (ARNG) and U.S. Army Reserve (USAR). FORSCOM incorporates a total force approach into everything we do.”

• Date Taken: 10.31.2014
• Date Posted: 10.31.2014 11:42
• Story ID: 146692
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US