Iowa Soldiers perform combat water survival training

Photo By Staff Sgt. Chad Nelson | Sgt. Nathan Elwood of Stanton, Iowa, a truck driver with the 2168th Transportation Company, leaps, blindfolded and with a rifle, into a swimming pool during combat water survival training. The training was part of the company's two-week annual training at Fort McCoy, Wis. (Iowa Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Chad D. Nelson)  

JOHNSTON, IA, UNITED STATES

07.18.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Chad Nelson 

135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

JOHNSTON, Iowa - Soldiers often find themselves in difficult situations that challenge their mettle. Everything from taking enemy fire, to a choppy helicopter ride in spite of a fear of flying, can challenge even the most hardened Soldier. However, Soldiers are trained in basic training to face their fears, to draw on their personal courage and to rely on their battle buddies to overcome these challenges and succeed in their mission.

Training fades over time, though, and so the Army constantly retrains Soldiers on critical individual tasks. These training exercises focus on personal courage, teamwork and preventing the re-occurrence of past mistakes.

The 2168th Transportation Company, Iowa Army National Guard, focused on all three of these attributes at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, during their 15-day annual training last week, with combat water survival training as one element of the exercise.

The Army learned many lessons over the course of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. One such lesson was Soldiers were ill-prepared for survival if their vehicles drove into a lake, river, or canal.

“Soldiers would crash into a (body of water) and not be able to get their equipment off quickly enough,” said 1st Lt. Joshua Sprague of Johnston, Iowa, the platoon leader for Detachment 1, 2168th TC.

Part of the combat water survival training involved Soldiers jumping into a pool’s deep end with load-bearing equipment and a weighted, rubber M16. Once under the water, the Soldiers had to remove their equipment and reach the surface.

The survival training also consisted of Soldiers swimming 25 yards while keeping the muzzle of their rifle above water, plunging into the deep end of the swimming pool while blindfolded and holding their training weapon, and how to use the Army Combat Uniform as a flotation device.

Some Soldiers didn't know how to swim very well.

“I hate swimming. I like to relax in the water, but I am not a swimmer,” said Pfc. Devon Anderson of Clarion, Iowa, and a truck driver with 2168th TC.

Regardless, Anderson faced his fears and plunged into the water over and over again, confident his team would be there if he needed their help.

“With a little bit of encouragement from people in my unit, it helped out a lot, and I decided I needed to give it a try, whether I liked it or not. They encouraged me to do it, and I knew I had someone there to catch me if I needed it when I jumped in,” Anderson said.

This focus on teamwork and overcoming fears was the hope of the 2168th's leadership.

“Everything is about Soldiers facing their fears. It's building confidence and team camaraderie,” Sprague said.

According to Sprague, the best way to build confidence in a Soldier and help them overcome their fears is to focus on building team mentality.

“Conquering your fears is a great team-building atmosphere. There are a lot of scary things you have to face as a Soldier. If we know we can face them together, we know we can accomplish the mission.”

That mentality of overcoming fear through teamwork was proven in the pool during the course of the training over and over again.

“I heard a lot of Soldiers stepping up and telling Soldiers who wanted to walk away and skip the obstacle say, 'No, you can do this, we've got you. I'll jump in the water with you,'” Sprague said.

• Date Taken: 07.18.2014
• Date Posted: 07.23.2014 18:17
• Story ID: 137047
• Location: JOHNSTON, IA, US
• Hometown: CLARION, IA, US
• Hometown: JOHNSTON, IA, US