CAMP MCCAIN—Camp McCain Training Center welcomes Virgin Island National Guard back for weapons qualification.
On the morning of Apr. 13, the ground rumbles at Grenada Municipal Airport as five Air National Guard C-130s begin doing flight checks for an early takeoff. The Virgin Island National Guard, which are known as “The Guardians of the Eastern Front," are transported from Camp McCain Training Center to travel back home on a long 1,862-mile journey back to St. Croix. The Soldiers arrived at CMTC Apr. 9 to complete Individual Weapons Qualification at the Camp McCain Range Complex, where they faced inclement weather challenges to meet qualification standards. The VING and CMTC have worked together for seven years to bring Soldiers quality training.
The VING travels the distance because they do not have a firing range to shoot on, and CMTC gives them an opportunity to train outside their normal environment. “It’s a sense of pride, that we are doing our job,” said Lt. Col. Sanford Bennett Base Operations Supervisor “and when the Virgin Islands choose to train at Camp McCain, it gives us a sense of accomplishment.” When the VING travels to CMTC, it takes months in advance to prepare for the deployment, training event, and re-deployment of Soldiers back to the Virgin Islands. The staffs of VING and CMTC work together to ensure Soldiers have accommodations, which include sleeping arrangements, meals, ammunition, and transportation to and from training.
The VING likes coming to CMTC because of the environment it provides Soldiers to complete the mission. “Camp McCain is that type of environment that lends to training and is secluded away from the outside environment which benefits the Soldier,” Maj. Alphonso John continued, “so they can focus on training and accomplish the goal.” While at CMTC they use the rifle range in which Soldiers must shoot at least 23-40 pop-up targets with distances ranging between 50 to 300 meters. Throughout the week, approximately 250 Soldiers down range to qualify on individual weapons.
In addition to nice firing ranges, the post also possesses a gas chamber, land navigation course, weapons cleaning building, dining facilities, and even a small PX. The VING appreciates training areas being close and the professionalism of the CMTC staff. Command Sgt. Major Judy Clarke said, “Everything is in one location, and the setup of Camp McCain is just professional, we feel like we are part of the team.”
The ongoing partnership between the VING and CMTC shows that when units work together, it not only benefits the organization but also proves to build a stronger fighting force even thousands of miles apart.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2016 17:52 |
| Story ID: | 196142 |
| Location: | CAMP MCCAIN, MS, US |
| Hometown: | CAMP MCCAIN, MS, US |
| Hometown: | ST. CROIX, VI |
| Web Views: | 90 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Guardians of the Eastern Front Train at Camp McCain, by SFC Veronica McNabb, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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