Photo By David Overson | Infantrymen from Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, Louisiana Army...... read more read more
HOHENFELS, Germany – From part-time to full-time in a blink of an eye — at least that’s what it seems like for many members of Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment of the Louisiana Army National Guard, as they participate in Combined Resolve VII at the Hohenfels Training Area, Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Germany.
Combined Resolve VII is a 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army Europe-directed exercise taking place at the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas, Aug. 8 to Sept. 15, 2016. The exercise is designed to train the Army’s regionally allocated forces to the U.S. European Command. Combined Resolve VII includes more than 3,500 participants from 16 NATO and European partner nations.
The Louisiana Guard unit filled a crucial role in a very large picture of providing an opposing force to a large, active-duty U.S. Army brigade, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division and units from NATO allies and NATO partner countries that were rotating through the training center.
Knowing they fit into this larger picture is very rewarding to the company’s executive officer, 1st Lt. Zachary Jongema, who hails from Alexandria, Virginia, but now lives in Leesville, Louisiana.
“It seems like every year we are called up to react to flooding or hurricanes and that readiness transfers over and allows us to step into our federal orders and prepares us to fill any role asked of us,” said Jongema.
The Louisiana National Guard as a whole has seen plenty of activity as of late with their state’s tragic flooding, so it’s even more impressive to see them fly across the globe shortly after that to help train the active duty component at Combined Resolve VII.
Jongema added, “We are on constant standby, especially during hurricane season, late summer, early fall. I think that blends in really well when we get called up to do rotations such as this, or if the time comes, a deployment.”
As with any Army National Guard unit, the members are comprised of regular working community members, such as mechanics, warehouse workers, bankers and lawyers. This commonality brings a different perspective to the average military unit that just might give them the edge once in a while as they take on their federal role.
This perspective can be seen by Staff Sgt. Tyler Hardwick, who also lives in Leesville, Louisiana. As an infantryman who has also served on active duty prior to his Army National Guard time, he can see the larger picture and where the Army National Guard fits into this picture.
Hardwick said, “We’ve had two bad floodings back-to-back. We’ve worked tirelessly to help our community deal with their losses, so it’s rewarding to be able to switch gears and now fill our federal mission’s role as well.”
Located at Fort Polk, Louisiana, the Guard unit routinely interacts with the active duty component of the Army, but rarely gets to train and work alongside them. However, after arriving at the Hohenfels Training Center, Jongema said everything went very smoothly. He arrived a week earlier than the main body of his unit and arranged lodging, equipment and everything required to complete their mission.
“We’ve been treated fantastic here,” said Jongema, “and we look forward to working alongside the active duty Army on many missions to come.”
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2016 16:15 |
| Story ID: | 209816 |
| Location: | DE |
| Hometown: | LEESVILLE, LA, US |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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