New Soldiers Prepare For A Year Of Firsts

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class William Prahl | Pfc. Brett Urban, of Pomeroy, Iowa, and Pfc. Hope Fehlhafer, of Sioux Center, Iowa, both of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery (1-194th FA), 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Iowa Army National Guard, stand outside the armory in Fort Dodge, Iowa, during annual training (AT) on June 13, 2020. This AT was the first for both Soldiers in which HHB 1-194th trained at Camp Ripley, Minn., Camp Dodge, Iowa, and Fort Dodge, Iowa, in preparation for the unit's scheduled mobilization to Central Command later this summer. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. William Prahl)  

FORT DODGE, IA, UNITED STATES

06.14.2020

Story by Staff Sgt. William Prahl 

135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Pfc. Brett Urban, of Pomeroy, Iowa, and Pfc. Hope Fehlhafer, of Sioux Center, Iowa, both of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery (1-194th FA), 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Iowa Army National Guard, stand outside the armory in Fort Dodge, Iowa, during annual training (AT) on June 13, 2020. This AT was the first for both Soldiers in which HHB 1-194th trained at Camp Ripley, Minn., Camp Dodge, Iowa, and Fort Dodge, Iowa, in preparation for the unit's scheduled mobilization to Central Command later this summer.

Annual training (AT) in the U.S. Army National Guard or Reserves can elicit many feelings for part-time service members. The time leading up to AT can be a combination of excitement and apprehension especially for two brand new Soldiers, fresh out of training. For Pfc. Brett Urban, of Pomeroy, Iowa, and Pfc. Hope Fehlhafer, of Sioux Center, Iowa, both of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery (1-194th FA), 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Iowa Army National Guard, this will be a year of firsts. This year their two-week AT consisted of training at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, Camp Dodge, Iowa, and Fort Dodge, Iowa, in preparation for another first for the new Soldiers, their first deployment. The 1-194 FA is scheduled to mobilization to Central Command later this summer in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Central Command consists of 20 nations including Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries.

“I was a little bit nervous considering this was my first time with the unit and I didn’t know anyone,” said Urban, a signal support systems specialist. “Honestly, I had no clue what to expect. Everyone was really nice here and I fit in pretty easily. There are a lot of really cool people.”

This AT was packed with pre-deployment training as the unit is preparing to go overseas. Rifle qualification, tactical combat casualty care and vehicle rollover training were just a few of the tasks Soldiers completed. They also had the opportunity to train at the Camp Ripley, Combined Arms Collective Training Facility (CACTF), a 26-building urban operations village that is designed to train Soldiers on military and civilian urban operations. Urban said he enjoyed the CACFT training the most. His favorite parts of the simulated village training was storming a hill, patrolling the urban area and scouting for notional snipers.

It was also Pfc. Hope Fehlhafer’s, a fire control specialist, first time participating in a national guard AT. She did not know what to expect and asked fellow guard members for their take on life in the field.

“I had only heard what everyone else has said about AT,” said Fehlhafer. “How is this going to work? You’re in the field. It’s gross, it’s a lot of work.”

For Fehlhafer, the reality of AT was different than what she previously envisioned. She said she wasn’t expecting to enjoy it so much. While training and working hard can be fun, AT can also be arduous. Long hours, lack of sleep and hot temperatures can take its toll on the Soldiers; however, perseverance and relying on your peers can help overcome those challenges. These are the scenarios in which camaraderie is built. As members of a team, preparing for a real word mission, building that trust will be crucial in their success the coming year.

“Sometimes the stuff we are doing isn’t the most fun, but doing it together is what makes it better,” said Fehlhafer. “Holding each other accountable and being there for each other is really helpful.”

It is a time-honored tradition for service members to rely on their battle buddies to get through hard times, both physically and mentally. It is why the national guard conducts AT and why the military conduct training in austere conditions. The bonds and relationships they build during AT in those harsh environments, operating on little sleep will help sustain them through their upcoming deployment.

“It’s really important to me to know that I have those people,” said Fehlhafer, “that if I do get down or if I do have a problem they’re always there for me and that I can fall back on them. I’m just really excited to see what we can do together as a team and see what kind of things we can accomplish down range.”

• Date Taken: 06.14.2020
• Date Posted: 06.15.2020 15:58
• Story ID: 372093
• Location: FORT DODGE, IA, US
• Hometown: POMEROY, IA, US
• Hometown: SIOUX CENTER, IA, US