DEA thanks Army Guard for mobilization training

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy | Frank Shroyer, right, assistant chief of operations with the Drug Enforcement Agency's Special Projects Branch, presents a plaque to Maj. Gen. Grant Hayden, acting director of the Army National Guard, at the Army Guard Readiness Center in Arlington, Va., Sept. 1, as a way to say thank you to the Army Guard for its help with training DEA agents for postings in Afghanistan. Soldiers from the Wyoming Army Guard trained about 65 DEA agents on identifying improvised explosive devices, convoy operations, land navigation and other tasks at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., earlier this year.  

ARLINGTON, VA, UNITED STATES

09.02.2009

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy 

National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. — Representatives from the Drug Enforcement Agency thanked the Army National Guard on Sept. 1 for preparing DEA agents for deployment to Afghanistan.

In a ceremony here at the Army National Guard Readiness Center, Army Maj. Gen. Grant Hayden, the special assistant to the director of the Army Guard, was presented with a plaque by Frank Shroyer, the assistant chief of operations for the DEA's Special Projects Branch.

The training, conducted by Soldiers from the Wyoming Army Guard, took place at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., earlier this year, and consisted of recognition of improvised explosive devices, convoy operations, working with air assets as well as other skills needed for a deployment.

"We've got some experience being in (poorer) areas around the world and our agents are pretty good in that kind of environment, but this is an entirely different ballgame," said Shroyer. "The skill set that (was taught to) them in that training piece are invaluable, because they can't operate without that basic skill set."

Fortunately for the DEA, these skills are something that the Army Guard can provide.

"The Guard Bureau stepped up and agreed to take this on," said Shroyer. "I can't underscore how important it is to us."

Their training requirement came with a short deadline as well, which the Army Guard was also able to meet.

"It was a big deal to us," said Shroyer. "You guys do it for a living and it probably seemed like another group coming through, but over in our building it allowed us to meet deadlines that nobody thought we could meet and we've met those deadlines and we're way ahead of schedule."

Being able to respond quickly is one of the calling cards of the Army Guard, said Hayden.

"One thing we're proud of in the Guard is that we can react quickly," he said, recounting quick responses to both natural disasters and sending troops overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan. "That's what this team does. It's just what we do in the Guard we can stand things up in a heartbeat. It surprises people what we can do."

Of the 65 agents who were trained by the Wyoming Soldiers, about 45 are currently in Afghanistan. "They are already putting the training they received to good use," said Shroyer.

Additional DEA teams may be trained by the Guard in the future. "It was an outstanding program," said Shroyer. "It's another example of this relationship that we want to keep building."

• Date Taken: 09.02.2009
• Date Posted: 09.02.2009 17:25
• Story ID: 38296
• Location: ARLINGTON, VA, US