Ohio Soldiers engage in realistic training at JRTC

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Corine Lombardo | Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers, assigned to the 838th Military Police Co, Amhurst, Ohio, provide security dressed in the uniforms of the fictional Atropian army allied with U.S Army forces during training at the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana, July 27, 2016. Approximately 3,000 Soldiers from New York joined 2,000 other state Army National Guard units, active Army and Army Reserve troops as part of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s Task Force Hunter, July 9-30, 2016. The Soldiers are honing their skills and practicing integrating combat operations ranging from infantry troops engaging in close combat with an enemy and employing artillery and aviation. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Maj. Corine Lombardo)  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

07.27.2016

Story by Sgt. Maj. Corine Lombardo 

New York National Guard

FORT POLK, La. - Three hundred and fifty Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers were all over the battlefield at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Ft. Polk, La, July 9-30 as the New York Army National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team honed their war-fighting skills.

Engineers, transportation specialists, aviators and helicopter maintainers and military police - dressed up as allied army soldiers - are used their technical and Soldier skills to support over 5,000 boots on the ground during rotation .

"This experience is everything we're hoping for. The opportunity to integrate these formations into the way they are supposed to be used at a brigade level can't be replicated outside of JRTC, said Ohio Army National Guard Maj. Gen. John Harris, Jr., Assistant Adjutant General.

"For our Soldiers this means getting back to the basic field craft and is an opportunity to identify where there are some deficiencies and define areas where they need some work, Harris explained.

The Soldiers are conducting combat training against a well-trained opposing force, civilian role-players on the battlefield, high-tech systems that monitor the action and observer-controllers to evaluate unit actions.

"JRTC provides graduate level training that creates a steep learning curve for our National Guard Soldiers. It's amazing how much better these units come out in 21 days," Harris said.

"To watch our young leaders develop and grow is amazing - I'm in awe," Harris exclaimed.

Harris talked to Soldiers and leaders from the 812th Engineer Company based in Wooster, the 1484th Transportation Co. from North Canton, the 838th Military Police Company from Youngstown and Companies A and D, 1st Battalion, 137th Aviation Regiment, Akron, Ohio during a visit to Fort Polk, La., July 27, 2016.

The Soldiers are honing their skills and practicing integrating combat operations ranging from infantry troops engaging in close combat with an enemy and employing artillery and aviation.

"This is the first time many of our Soldiers have trained in an intense field environment - living out of a bag for weeks, carrying their meals with them, living without showers in extreme heat - and then having to react to enemy forces on the battlefield," explained Command Sergeant Major Rodger Jones, Ohio Army National Guard State Command Sgt. Major and senior enlisted advisor.

"They will come home more resilient and more tactically and technically proficient because of the demanding scenarios and hardships they've lived through," Jones said. "Moral is remarkably high and they have learned a lot and will come away better leaders - from company commanders all the way down to our privates."

"This has been fantastic training for us," said Sgt. First Class Ian Murray, a platoon Sgt. for the 838th Military Police Co., based in Youngstown, Ohio.

According to Murray, his Soldiers - dressed in the uniforms of the fictional Atropian army allied with U.S Army forces - are engaging in the same military police operations and meeting the training objectives of gathering intelligence, conducting check points, building and vehicle searches, doing patrols and providing security.

"We're doing the same job, just in a difference uniform," Murray said.

"We've integrated with U.S. Army Special Operations Soldiers and have been able to watch first-hand how infantry Soldiers perform their duties, it's pretty cool," Murray exclaimed.

"It's been very beneficial for our MPs, since they have us split up in different areas so it's really helped our Soldiers develop - they have to operate independently and make quick decisions based on the circumstances they are dealing with, it really helps build their leadership decision making," Murray explained.

However, the austere and confined environment the nearly 20 Ohio UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter aviators and maintainers are working in has wrought different challenges.

"We have more capabilities than are being utilized since we are flying in a confined space and are limited to doing only missions that the brigade needs," explained Cpt. Philip Glotfelty, Co. A Commander.

"So far we have conducted four air assault flights and over a dozen resupply missions, but although are maintenance guys are doing a great job they are spending a lot of time providing security for the airfield," Glotfelty added.

According to 1st Lt. Kyle Webb, the platoon leader for Co. D., his aircraft maintenance Soldiers are working primarily on Army warrior tasks like planning, communications and area security. They’re testing their Soldiers skills, but it's unlikely they'll need them if deployed overseas since they are traditionally staged in a secure environment.

"Our Soldiers passed the test when they engaged and defeated opposing forces probing our area to see if they could infiltrate the airfield. They sustained some fake injuries but they were minor enough that they were returned immediately to continue their jobs," Webb said.

According to Glotfelty, one of the highlights of the training has been the opportunity to work closely with the nearly 20 aviators and crew from Co. C, 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation based in Connecticut.

"We've integrated two companies into one operation and have spent a great deal of time sharing tactics and procedures and building professional relationships that we would not have had the opportunity to do if not for JRTC."

The Soldiers from the 812th Engineer Co., based in Wooster, demonstrated their abilities by facing and disabling both obstacles and opposing forces as they led 27th Brigade Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry into their area of operations.

“We encountered four wire obstacles, and defeated enemy forces on two of them, as we cleared the way for the infantry Soldiers,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Nicholas, executive officer for the 812th Engineers.

The enemy placed triple rolls of concertina wire and it can stop a tank and delay their movement long enough for the enemy to attack, so they removed it, Nicholas explained.

Upon reaching and securing a check point - their final objective – they remained there for three days defending it while taking indirect fire. “We nicknamed it Alamo,” Nicholas said.

“It has been challenging, but a great opportunity to use both our engineer and Soldier skills throughout the training,” he said. “We’ve breeched and built obstacles, cleared minefields and used basic Soldier skills by encountering enemy forces and providing force protection,” Nicholas explained.

“The only mission task we weren’t able to employ was reduction since it requires C-4, shape charges or Bangalore torpedoes, and we can’t tear up Ft. Polk, but we can simulate it if necessary,” Nicholas added.

“This has been invaluable training and has definitely made us recognize our capabilities in handling multiple mission sets,” he exclaimed.

Getting a birds-eye view of all the engineer training is observer-controller/trainer Capt. Brett Green, the 812th Engineers’ former company commander, now the executive officer for the higher headquarters, the 216th Engineer Battalion.
“As the former commander, it’s been very hard not to jump in and give guidance since I still feel like these are my Soldiers,” Green said.
“My job here is to evaluate without directing,” Green said. “It’s tough, but I know these guys and I know they’ll take back the lessons learned based on my observations.”
“For me, I plan to take back the lessons learned to help influence and implement improvements, whether it’s from a training perspective or to better prepare readiness,” Green exclaimed.

• Date Taken: 07.27.2016
• Date Posted: 08.02.2016 15:39
• Story ID: 205832
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US