Leaders in Training

Photo By Cpl. Justin Humphreys | Starkville, Mississippi, native Spc. Ethan Caster, a squad leader at the Basic Leader Course, requests a medical evacuation over the radio during a situational training exercise June 25, 2017, at Camp Shelby. During the exercise, Soldiers were tested on their knowledge of how to provide assistance to an injured teammate. (Mississippi National Guard photo by Cpl. Justin Humphreys, 102d Public Affairs Detachment)  

CAMP SHELBY, MS, UNITED STATES

06.25.2017

Story by Spc. Justin Humphreys 

102d Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. – During the Basic Leader Course, Soldiers are required to complete a situational training exercise close to the end of each cycle, placing them in stressful situations that require them to think quickly to prepare them for possible future combat missions.
The training simulates circumstances that they may run into in the combat environment, said Master Sgt. David Brooks, the Basic Leader Course branch chief at Camp Shelby's 154th Regiment, an Army regional training institute.
The situational training exercise, or STX, is meant to prepare Soldiers if they ever find themselves in a combat environment that requires quick thinking and execution.
“The STX, simply, is to get them in the mindset of whether they can make a decision under pressure while being stressed because a lot of these (Soldiers) are not from combat arms. So, this may be some of the only chances they get to put themselves in that situation,” said Staff Sgt. Kristoffer Rosamand, a small group leader for the Basic Leader Course.
The course is a requirement for each Soldier to earn his or her promotion to sergeant, but it’s also much more than that.
“I came down here for BLC to learn how to become an NCO to lead Soldiers in garrison and tactical environments,” said Cpl. Kimmarah Casey. “I’m not used to doing it, but it’s definitely a learning experience.”
Some Soldiers also see the course as an opportunity to better prepare for future missions.
“This is my first time really working in a tactical environment since basic training, so this is just a refresher so I can make sure that I’m always combat ready,” said Sgt. Antonio Dates.
The Basic Leader Course is important for the Army because it prepares Soldiers to be leaders at home and overseas.
The Army needs the course because it’s the foundation on which noncommissioned officers’ skills are built upon, said Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Tedford, the senior small group leader of 3d Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, 154th Regiment, Mississippi Army National Guard.
Soldiers from across the nation traveled to Camp Shelby to attend the three-week course to improve their leadership abilities.
“Students come from all over the nation to Camp Shelby here and they get a lot of information thrown at them within these 22 days; and the intent is to send them back to their units all over the nation with the goal of improving, I see, the whole Army National Guard," he said.
The Basic Leader Course also teaches other basic NCO skills, such as administrative duties, how to conduct briefings for missions, and squad level tactics.
“Part of our primary mission statement is to train Soldiers,” said Brooks. “Train the force and prepare them for combat.”

• Date Taken: 06.25.2017
• Date Posted: 06.26.2017 08:22
• Story ID: 239126
• Location: CAMP SHELBY, MS, US