Alaska Army National Guard graduates 16 infantrymen from reclassification course

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES

05.16.2017

Story by Sgt. Marisa Lindsay 

Alaska National Guard Public Affairs   

Completion of the two-week infantry reclassification course provides Soldiers with the infantryman military occupational specialty, more commonly known as 11-Bravo. Infantrymen are riflemen who are ready to defend our country at all times. They are the main land combat force and backbone of the Army. Infantryman training is known to be one of the more physically arduous courses in the military.

“The course was awesome, but intensive,” explained Staff Sgt. Dayton Will, the mobilization readiness non-commissioned officer for Joint Forces Headquarters, Alaska Army National Guard. “Taking in the information was a lot like drinking from a fire hose since we were taught a lot of information in a short period of time, then needed to immediately put it to use.”

Graduating from the infantryman course requires Soldiers to pass physical and tactical events, including a 12-mile weighted ruck march, land navigation, field leadership evaluation, 35-meter grenade throw, 200-pound dummy drag and other high-physical demand tests.

“Before attending this class, I trained on land navigation because it’s a perishable skill,” said Will. “However, my advice for others reclassifying into the 11-series would be to physically and mentally prepare for the 12-mile weighted ruck march and grenade throw, as they were the toughest events in the course.”

The Alaska Army National Guard offers the 11B reclassification course annually through the 207th MFTR which is open nationwide to all National Guard Soldiers.

Army National Guardsmen from Wyoming, Oklahoma and Wisconsin were participants of this course along with Alaska National Guard members.

• Date Taken: 05.16.2017
• Date Posted: 05.16.2017 17:02
• Story ID: 234069
• Location: JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US