Providing support

Photo By Staff Sgt. Carlos J. Garcia | U.S. Army Reserve Master Sgt. Henry W. Johnson, a senior trainer assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment (U.S. Military Academy), 104th Training Division (Leader Training), 108th Training Command, from Saco, Maine demonstrates how to clear a M240B machine gun for the incoming cadets, at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Aug. 4, 2017. Instructors from the 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment have been tasked with training incoming cadets at West Point for over 30 years. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Carlos J. Garcia)   

WEST POINT, NY, UNITED STATES

08.04.2017

Story by Sgt. Carlos J. Garcia 

Exercise News Day

USMA
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Having the responsibility of training cadets at the United States Military Academy (USMA) is not an easy task. Knowing that you can potentially help mold the future leaders of the U.S. Army or the next U.S. President is a great responsibility.
Every year in the summer cadets report to USMA to conduct Cadet Basic Training (CBT) as part of their initial entry into the military.
U.S. Army Reserve Master Sgt. Henry W. Johnson, a senior trainer assigned to the 3rd Battalion of the 304th Infantry Regiment (USMA), 104th Training Division (Leader Training), 108th Training command, from Saco, Maine, takes great pride in coming here year-after-year to help train the cadets at West Point.
“I have been coming here almost every year since I joined the 3/304th in 2004,” said Johnson.
Although Johnson is mainly tasked to support the USMA with its training requirements while assigned to the 3/304th he also has supported other missions as well.
One of the missions Johnson has supported was his first deployment with the Army Reserve to Iraq where he performed aerial surveillance reconnaissance in direct support of ground operations aboard a C-12 aircraft while assigned to an observe, detect, identify and neutralize (ODIN) task force.
Although Johnson missed the CBT mission a few summers in the past 13-years, he ensures that as a senior trainer in the 3/304th he is up to standard with his training skills and abilities.
“As you know if you don’t practice your skills you can grow a little rusty,” said Johnson.
The USMA depends on 3/304th to train the cadets to standard which in turn helps us sustain a level of proficiency within our unit said, Johnson. This also increases our individual and unit combat readiness.
Typically Johnson comes to the USMA for about two-to-three weeks to support the weapons familiarization with crew served weapons and hand grenade training. But as a senior trainer he has also provided training support to other missions the USMA needs assistance with.
One of the additional opportunities the 3/304th has been tasked with is training support for the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at West Point.
“The Sandhurst competition is a heavily watched event because of all the cadets from other U.S. military branches and cadets from other allied countries that participate in the event,” said Johnson.
Although the Sandhurst competition is a smaller event in size compared to CBT, the competition requires that we provide the most senior skilled trainers our unit has to offer, said Johnson.
As a senior trainer Johnson looks forward to continuing with the 3/304th and providing training support to the primary mission with the CBT and any other event the USMA requires.
“I expect the USMA to continue to demand the best from us,” said Johnson. “As they should, and if the USMA has more missions that need support, we will continue to provide the best.”
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• Date Taken: 08.04.2017
• Date Posted: 08.27.2017 20:48
• Story ID: 244337
• Location: WEST POINT, NY, US