Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brad Mincey | South Carolina National Guard Soldier, Staff Sgt. Dennis Rehrer, Company C, 151st...... read more read more
EASTOVER, S.C. – The South Carolina National Guard’s 151st Expeditionary Signal Battalion conducted their annual training Feb. 8-17 at McCrady Training Center with specific goals in mind. Not only did they want to get 100 percent of their Soldiers recertified in their Military Occupational Skill, but also get them cross-trained in other skills.
“We operate in small teams, and I have to enable, empower and trust my Soldiers to complete their missions,” said Lt. Col. Carl Young, battalion commander of the 151st ESB. “We took the idea of tables, and built that around signal.”
Similar to other battalion table training, Soldiers in the 151st start with the basics. They learn those basic skills, train with them, implement them in a simulated field environment, then, problem solve and trouble shoot and finally get certified on that piece of equipment.
“One thing we’ve done differently this year is that we’ve centralized the location,” said Young. “This reduces the cost of movement and training. Since we came to McCrady to train, we have one location where equipment can be operated and maintained and we’ve been able to dramatically improve our operating capabilities.”
Another difference the 151st has implemented this year in their annual training is getting all Soldiers involved, not just those with experience on the various pieces of equipment. The subject matter experts are stepping back and letting the junior enlisted Soldiers get their hands dirty as well.
“Normally, when we conduct annual training, we come out, set up, conduct training, get certified and go back to our home units,” said Young. “When we did that, those with experience in operating the equipment did everything and the junior enlisted had little involvement. This time, we’ve taken the experts out. This now puts everything on the teams, so everyone is involved, everyone takes part in the training.”
The ultimate goal of this new training method is to have small, four to six-man teams that can then be sent out to provide signal assets to other units.
“I’m now able to call up another unit and augment their S-6 shops,” said Young. “We can support any mission.”
Additionally, Soldiers in the 151st ESB are not just focusing on learning and training in their MOS, but cross training in other jobs and on other pieces of equipment. Each Soldier is expected to complete at least two different tasks in addition to their own MOS.
“We are trying to get those who are normally in the shadows to clear out the cobwebs and get them trained,” said Staff Sgt. Will McGuire Headquarters and Headquarters Company, S-3 Sergeant. “We are putting them on the spot. We want to make sure know how to operate the equipment. We’re also putting them in real-world situations, because things break. And when it does, they can fix it. The idea is to empower the Soldiers to do more, and give them the confidence to do the mission.”
The battalion is able to provide a wide range of options and has equipment that can work and be transported to any environment. The 151st inventory includes High Capacity Line of Site (HCLOS) antennas, AN/TSC-185 Satellite Transportable Terminals and Phoenix Super High Frequency terminals. They are capable of providing internet, phones and other means of communication.
“This gives me a team that can adapt to changing conditions on the ground,” said Young. “It provides backup and redundancy. And the Soldiers are really enjoying that change.”
| Date Taken: | 02.13.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.14.2016 15:55 |
| Story ID: | 188836 |
| Location: | EASTOVER, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 316 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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