Photo By Sgt. 1st Class William Prahl | Pfc. Martin Kemp and Spc. Myles Johnson, cavalry scouts with Troop B, 1st Squadron,...... read more read more
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Assisting with the firing of a Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided or wireless weapon system (TOW) surface-to-air missile, shooting a .50 caliber machine gun or witnessing the time honored tradition of the Spur Ride makes Annual Training (AT) a memorable event.
Pfc. Martin Kemp, a new cavalry scout with the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard, experienced these events during his first AT.
Kemp, an Iowa State University finance major from Boone, Iowa, took a year off from college to complete his basic and advanced military training. He enlisted in the summer of 2016 after completing his sophomore year at ISU.
Kemp wanted to fulfill his long-time dream of becoming a Soldier.
“It’s something that I’ve just always wanted to do since I was little,” Kemp said. “I also got some good benefits for schooling with the G.I. Bill.”
Upon completion of his training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in March of this year, Kemp officially became a cavalry scout. “Cav scouts” are the eyes and ears of the Army. They perform reconnaissance missions to gather information on the enemy.
For Kemp, it’s a job he’s fallen in love with.
“I love it,” Kemp said. “You do a lot of cool stuff. You get to shoot machine guns. You get to go out in the woods and get all cammo’d (camouflaged) up. It’s exciting.”
He and his fellow cavalry Soldiers are finishing up their AT at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, where about half of the Iowa National Guard has converged for summer training.
Whether its school or military, Kemp’s approach to learning is constant.
“Just stay motivated, work hard and it will get you far,” Kemp said.
This is an outlook he’ll bring back to the classroom when he returns to ISU this fall to complete his bachelor’s degree.
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2017 14:46 |
| Story ID: | 239005 |
| Location: | CAMP RIPLEY, MN, US |
| Hometown: | AMES, IA, US |
| Hometown: | BOONE, IA, US |
| Web Views: | 178 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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