Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers participate in important, fun training

Photo By Staff Sgt. Jason Lay | Members of the 120th Forward Support Company, 45th Field Artillery Brigade, Oklahoma Army National Guard, move through a wooded area performing move-to-contact training during exercises at Camp Gruber, Okla. The training offered Oklahoma Soldiers with the opportunity to participate in numerous activities to include airborne insertions and extractions, room clearing and POW recovery exercises, hand grenade ranges and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) vehicle-training lane. All of the events were designed to be educational and fun. (Sgt. Jason Lay, 145th MPAD, Oklahoma Army National Guard)  

CAMP GRUBER, OK, UNITED STATES

09.12.2015

Courtesy Story

45th Field Artillery Brigade

CAMP GRUBER, Okla. – Soldiers with the Oklahoma Army National Guard participate in tactical retention exercises here Sept. 12 to train in order to heighten proficiency.

More than 300 Guardsmen with 120th Forward Support Company and the 1st Battalion 158th Field Artillery, 45th Field Artillery Brigade, arrived by CH-47 Chinook helicopters in the early morning to begin tactical scenarios, in order to improve their ability to execute building clearing, react to fire, grenade proficiency, and various battle drills. The unique training this weekend provided these Soldiers with real world practical exercises, with a focus on familiarization, retention, and improving team cohesion and leadership.

Soldiers were transported by Chinook helicopters to the training area to participate in a building clearing and P.O.W. extraction scenario. The Guardsmen donned personal protective equipment and where armed with paintball guns. In teams of five, their mission was to clear a three-story building of enemy personnel, suppress fire and safely recover a known P.O.W. Once recovered they safely escorted the P.O.W. through an underground sewage tunnel to a designated rally point, where the Soldiers maintained perimeter security until the extraction support teams arrived.

“The intent of this training was two-fold, to do something fun for the Soldiers, while incorporating army warrior tasks and beneficial training. “Says Capt. Thomas Tucker, of Oklahoma City, with Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion 158th Field Artillery.

Following the P.O.W. extraction scenario, Soldiers were transported in a tactical vehicle convoy to a grenade range. The range consisted of seven different grenade obstacles. At one obstacle, Guardsmen low-crawled through the mud to a bunker, where they deployed a grenade, through a gun port, into the bunker. In another scenario, Guardsmen staged behind a low wall, used for concealment, then they launched a grenade while lying on their backs. Other scenarios included challenges such as concealment of the target using smoke grenades, blocking the line of sight, and various sandbag formations.

A new Soldier from Lawton Oklahoma, Pfc. James Pradier, a fire direction specialist with the 1st Battalion 158th Field Artillery, stated, “The first thing they teach you in basic training, is that we are marksman first, and all the skills we practiced today are definitely helpful in improving one’s marksmanship.”

Another scenario consisted of Guardsmen being transported via Chinook helicopters to an objective ambush. The Soldiers broke off into teams of five, where they were faced with direct and indirect fire from an unknown enemy. The intent of this scenario was for the teams to traverse the area safely, locate and then neutralize the enemy.

Throughout this scenario the Soldiers were faced with the challenge of working together as a team under pressure in adverse conditions. Some adverse conditions included operating in unknown terrain, with unknown enemies and low visibility, while suppressing fire.

An integral part of this scenario was the “OPFOR”, or opposing forces, which are played by fellow Soldiers who take on the role of the enemy. Their goal is to challenge the teams by utilizing the terrain and various forms of concealment, while providing them the experience of being attacked by a real enemy. Participating as members of the "OPFOR" also gave the Soliders an opportunity to get offensive tactical training.

Staff Sgt. Chris Polsgrove, of Durant, Oklahoma, explained, “The OPFOR team’s goal was to take the information from training, learn from it and improve on overall direct and indirect fire reaction. My team consisted of Soldiers that are brand new, to Soldiers with several years of experience, and because of that, the newer Soldiers were able to learn from senior Soldiers within the team.”

The Soldiers participating in the training had very diverse levels of experience. The experience levels ranged from that of Sgt. Mathew Schoolfield, of Ninnekah, Oklahoma, who has been serving for 17 years to Soldiers like Pfc. James Pradier, of Lawton, Oklahoma, who has been a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard for less than a year.

The intent for this weekend’s training was to provide real world scenarios for Soldiers in low stress environment, with a focus on motivating them, while building proficiency on a verity of battle tasks and strengthen team solidity. It provided these Soldiers the opportunity to participate in tactical training scenarios that they would not otherwise conduct in during their normal drill weekend operations.

“It was a day to get everyone excited and motivated to remain in the National Guard, says Sgt. Mathew Schoolfield.

• Date Taken: 09.12.2015
• Date Posted: 09.14.2015 11:01
• Story ID: 175968
• Location: CAMP GRUBER, OK, US