Finish the Job

Photo By 2nd Lt. Jarvis Mace | Command Sgt. Maj. Dwane S. Clifford, the senior enlisted advisor of the 2d Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, Kansas Army National Guard, discusses tactical maneuvers at a combined-arms rehearsal June 3, 2017, during a rotation of Mississippi's 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team at the National Training Center. A combined-arms rehearsal is well planned to map out the attacks and maneuvers during an operation. (Mississippi National Guard photo by Pfc. Jarvis Mace, 102d Public Affairs Detachment)  

FORT IRWIN, CA, UNITED STATES

06.04.2017

Story by Pfc. Jarvis Mace 

102d Public Affairs Detachment

FORT IRWIN, Calif. - Soldiers of the 2d Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, Kansas Army National Guard, remain focused and determined as they push through tough, realistic combat training during their final weeks at the National Training Center.

The Kansas City-based unit is a combined arms battalion, consisting of infantry, Bradley fighting vehicles, and Abrams tanks, that make up one of three maneuver battalions assigned to the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi Army National Guard. The entire brigade is training at NTC.

The training consist of various scenarios that require leaders to develop plans based on the situation, as well as plan for equipment maintenance, to ensure success.

Prior to any operation, leaders begin the planning process by creating a terrain model to plan tactical maneuvers from the brigade level down to the supporting units which is the most time consuming part, said Command Sgt. Maj. Dwane S. Clifford, the senior enlisted advisor of the battalion.

After rehearsals are done, the unit begins preparing their vehicles and equipment for any following missions. In addition to cleaning and maintaining the vehicles and weapons systems, radios and antennas are tested to ensure proper communication.

Communication is extremely important because it is essential to know what nearby units are doing and be able to coordinate, said Staff Sgt. Jeremiah S. Bull, the battalion’s automation sergeant.

Although the leaders can control how they plan their missions, they can’t control the physical and mental challenges the unit endures in the training area in the Mojave desert. Heat is a contributing factor in the challenges.

“It has been very long days and nights,” said Clifford. “Overall the Soldiers are motivated so it counters the heat and long days.”

An NTC rotation is a tough experience that replicates operational environment that war fighters face in combat. Soldiers training here will get the opportunity to execute their wartime duties that they can’t do while at drill.

“This is why folks join the Army,” said Clifford. “We couldn’t have asked for a better training experience.”

• Date Taken: 06.04.2017
• Date Posted: 06.05.2017 00:44
• Story ID: 236332
• Location: FORT IRWIN, CA, US
• Hometown: KANSAS CITY, KS, US