Photo By Sgt. Ian Ives | Capt. Darryl Bailey, a company commander with the 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd...... read more read more
Subscribe
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – What makes a leader technically and tactically proficient? Despite some common consensus leaders are not born, but built through hard meaningful training.
Company commanders with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, were granted the opportunity to receive such training Dec. 3-4, by taking part in the Mungadai Challenge on the Island of Oahu.
The training exercise known as Mungadai Leadership Training put company commanders through a two-day exercise involving several road marches, an air assault mission to Bellows Air Force Base, traveling to historical military sites across the island of Oahu and a force on force paint ball exercise.
“The Mungadai is training that is loosely based off of Genghis Khan’s notorious selection program for his Cavalry leaders which were called Mungadai,” said Capt. Jon Voss, a native of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, and an infantry officer with 2nd BCT’s Planning and Training Section and the officer in charge of the training. “Today the U.S. Army uses it as training for leaders by putting them through an exhausting physical and mental challenge.”
During their trip to the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, Hawaii, commanders had a chance to meet with Allen Hoe. Hoe, a Vietnam veteran, shared his experience of losing his son and Army veteran, 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 who was with the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. Hoe shared stories of his time in Vietnam and of his son before his passing. This was a chance for commanders to experience in the flesh the importance of their jobs as leaders.
“The most meaningful aspect of this training was their interaction with Mr. Hoe,” said Col. David Womack, a native of Roanoke, Virginia, the commander of the 2nd BCT, 25th ID. “There was a lot to be taken away from hearing his testimonial on his son’s service as an Army officer and his own service during Vietnam. To hear him and take away something from it connects us with our past.”
With events such as meeting Hoe, this Mungadai differs from most across the Army. While many Mungadai training exercises mainly focus on physical fitness, however, 2nd BCT took a different approach. While still having many physically demanding challenges during the course of the training, historical aspects were added to help commanders build comradery and unit pride.
“When constructing this training we were focused on balance,” said Womack. “To achieve this we combined many different values and training ideas together to form this Mungadai. I was looking to see comradery form between commanders from different battalions, and after the training was complete I saw just that.”
Following this training commanders will become more confident in their abilities as leaders and have the comfort of knowing that other commanders are supporting them.
“What I wanted my company commanders to take away from this training is having faith and confidence in each other,” said Womack. “I also hope that they each learned something unique about Hawaii, the unit and themselves.”
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2015 01:22 |
| Story ID: | 184074 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI, US |
| Hometown: | REEDSBURG, WI, US |
| Hometown: | ROANOKE, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 158 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Mungadai leadership training transcends its original purpose, by SGT Ian Ives, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT