April’s drill, not for fools

Photo By Staff Sgt. Wilma Orozco Fanfan | Citizen-Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 296th Infantry, Puerto Rico Army National Guard, trained along with Special Forces assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, at Camp Santiago Joint Maneuver Training Center, from April 2 to 6, Salinas, Puerto Rico. The five-day event provided the Guardsmen a training opportunity on specialized marksmanship skills and room clearing tactics. (National Guard photos by Sgt. Wilma Orozco Fanfan, 113th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 101st Troop Command, Puerto Rico Army National Guard)  

PUERTO RICO

04.13.2014

Story by Sgt. Wilma Orozco Fanfan 

113th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP SANTIAGO JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, SALINAS, Puerto Rico- Citizen-Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 296th Infantry, Puerto Rico Army National Guard, trained along with Special Forces Soldiers assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, at Camp Santiago Joint Maneuver Training Center, from April 2 to 6, Salinas, Puerto Rico.

According to Maj. Eduardo Toro, battalion commander for the 296th, this is a historical event and a unique opportunity for the Citizen-Soldiers of the Puerto Rico National Guard.

“The training covered from marksmanship training in day and night scenarios, to advanced room clearing techniques,” said Toro.

The tactical knowledge and hands on experience that the Special Forces have provide an opportunity for growth and improvement to the approximately 350 soldiers from four of the units that participated in the event, said Toro.

As this kind of training benefit the Soldiers of the PRNG, it also helps the Soldiers of the Co. A, 2/20 SFG by honing their Spanish language skills.

“These Special Forces operatives get a chance to have a place where they can come and basically do what they do in other countries,” said 101st Troop Command’s, Command Sgt. Maj. Manuel Almanza. “In this case the Special Forces come in and train the Citizen-Soldiers of Puerto Rico at a different level of infantry tactics that they don’t get to do very often.”

The opportunity offered the Special Forces elements who participated and whose area of operations is mainly Latin America, a chance to practice the Spanish language, said Toro.

According to Toro, the development of a rapidly deployable, diverse and unique force is the goal of today’s military. These types of events and exchanges with Special Forces also provide an opportunity for the leadership to consider their standards of operations and adopt the applicable standards to the federal missions that the Citizen-Soldiers are exposed to.

Events such as this one boost the morale of the troops, increase the level of enthusiasm of the Soldiers and support retention strategies, said Almanza.

“Soldiers are going to be excited to do this type of training as it gives them an opportunity to do things that they typically don’t do. It is going to be good for retention, as Soldiers would want to continue to train and serve at the Puerto Rico National Guard,” said Almanza.

• Date Taken: 04.13.2014
• Date Posted: 04.14.2014 11:50
• Story ID: 125803
• Location: PR