Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Vann | Army Col. George "Vaughn" Brown, commander of the 83rd Troop Command, recently visited...... read more read more
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CAMP GRAYLING, Mich.-The Florida National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment (Airfield Operations Battalion) and the 3rd Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, completed their 14-day annual training during Operation Northern Strike that began Aug. 10, 2017.
Northern Strike is an annual exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau where all branches of the military from 20 states and coalition countries come together and provide opportunities for training and team building in support of operational readiness requirements. It’s also a way for Soldiers to achieve higher levels of proficiency by participating in demanding and realistic scenarios.
The 2-111th “Overseers” are assigned to managing air traffic operations, while the 3-265th (Lightning Battalion) maintain radar capabilities between the ground units and airborne surveillance.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Adam Denny, air traffic and air space manager, was pleased that his Soldiers had the opportunity to participate in this collective annual training.
“We have some of the best there is at this position,” said Denny. “By the end of this AT, they will all have their control tower officer certifications, and that’s due largely because of the hands-on training they got here.”
Of the four Soldiers pursuing their air traffic control training requirements, only one is doing it for the first time. That Soldier is near completion of his required 80 hours of “tower time.”
The two-week annual training tested the Soldiers’ fortitude, skill and resilience. Between flight operations and radar tracking, the Florida National Guard units collaborated to provide the most applicable training for their newer Soldiers. The recurring nature of the exercise also allows more experienced Soldiers to stay up-to-date.
“We trained for these scenarios in the past,” said Army Staff Sgt. Diana Beaudet, the aviation operations noncommissioned officer. “Some of our newer Soldiers had the chance to set up our tents for the first time. This is valuable, first-hand knowledge that will help the unit in future operations.”
Army Pfc. Yahairah Torres, a Soldier from the 2-111th AVN (AOB) was appreciative of how the more senior noncommissioned officers took time to explain and demonstrate to them how the complex system worked.
“We really came together during this AT,” said Torres. “It was good that they were so willing to teach and work with us.”
Midway through their mission, the Florida units were visited U.S. Army Col. George ‘Vaughn’ Brown, commander, 83rd Troop Command and higher command to the 2-111th.
“Anytime Soldiers get the opportunity to train on a mission outside of Camp Blanding and outside of Florida, it brings a newness and motivation to everyone involved,” said Brown. “This mission provided the opportunity to incorporate both the sentinel radar system and the tactical control air traffic radars that allowed both units to see more of the sky than they would with their own equipment.”
As this year’s annual training came to an end, the commander of the 2-111th AVN (AOB), Lt. Col. Lynn Pate, shared his admiration.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this group of Soldiers,” said Pate. “They had a task, and they executed it with precision.”
| Date Taken: | 08.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2017 08:54 |
| Story ID: | 245941 |
| Location: | CAMP GRAYLING, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 187 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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