Photo By Anthony Housey | A Soldier with 1st Bde. Eng. Bn., 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., assists a Soldier with the...... read more read more
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FORT RILEY, Kansas – Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, participated in the eXportable Combat Training Capability exercise May 5 to June 23 at Camp Ripley, Minnesota.
Col. Robert Intress, commander, 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, said the XCTC program provided realistic military training to National Guard and Reserve forces, and was designed to certify a unit’s proficiency and mobilization readiness.
“This was the first time we partnered with an active component during a live-fire exercise,” Intress said. “This experience has already paid big dividends.”
Lt. Col. Jason Taliaferro, commander, 1st Bde. Eng. Bn., 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., said his unit mobilized more than 190 Soldiers to support the 1st Bde., 34th Inf. Div.’s XCTC exercise, which helped prepare its Soldiers for their future National Training Center rotation.
“We provided world-class OPFOR [opposing forces] support with multiple iterations for each platoon on a regular basis,” Taliaferro said. “There were several additional purposes nested within this mission that were a great benefit to our own mission readiness.”
Taliaferro said his Soldiers capitalized on every available training opportunity by conducting myriad concurrent training events during the six weeks at Camp Ripley.
“We executed a Level III Emergency Deployment Rehearsal Exercise in order to test our ability to rapidly deploy personnel and equipment,” Taliaferro said.
“Diehard” Soldiers successfully conducted small-arms and crew-served weapons ranges, combat lifesaver certification, demolition ranges, M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicle drivers training and engaged National Guard units in force-on-force scenarios.
“This was the first time I’ve ever trained with National Guard Soldiers,” said Staff Sgt. Shane Coulon, master gunner, 1st Bde. Eng. Bn., 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div. “Everyone involved benefited from this joint certification training.”
Coulon said not only did the training help the National Guard Soldiers, but it also improved the unit’s mounted maneuver proficiency.
“Participating in this exercise over the last six weeks has allowed us to focus on improving joint and individual training,” Coulon said. “I would love to see more joint training incorporated into future training events.”
Intress said active and reserve component partnerships provided an outstanding opportunity to share information and best practices.
“The 1st BEB provided invaluable OPFOR support and partnership,” Intress said. “They provided outstanding support to my brigade.”
Taliaferro said this exercise provided a better understanding by both partners on the capabilities and limitations of each unit and how increased communication could improve future interactions between the active and reserve components.
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.27.2015 16:21 |
| Story ID: | 171254 |
| Location: | CAMP RIPLEY, MN, US |
| Web Views: | 474 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, ‘Diehard’ Soldiers build partnership during National Guard exercise, by Bernhard Lashleyleidner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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