Photo By Spc. Dakota Bradford | Soldiers from the 176th Engineer Brigade, Texas Army National Guard, set up a R12...... read more read more
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Soldiers from the 176th Engineer Brigade, began mapping out the site of the first official Texas National Guard Army Combat Fitness Test track with separate event lanes at Camp Swift near Bastrop, Texas, March 24 – 26, 2023. The site was chosen for its proximity between two state training schools for National Guard Soldiers—Officer Candidate School and Warrant Officer Candidate School increases both readiness and efficiency in training Texas’ future leaders. Engineering projects of this nature have profound, decades long, effects on the fighting force of the Texas National Guard. The benefits go far beyond saving the state and her taxpayers money.
The processes that go into building the site give practical application for the Engineers to do the job they were trained in, keeping them proficient in their skills, and saving the state money.
“Every year, the Texas Guard saves money by using Troop Labor Projects,” said Lt. Col. Nathan Collier, Design Engineer, 176th Engineer Brigade, Texas Army National Guard. “It’s using engineers and surveyors to come out to provide and improve infrastructure to the Guard. Not only is it a cost savings, it’s a direct correlation to our skills. Its engaging Soldiers in the job they were hired to do for the Guard and keeping them mission effective.”
The project at Camp Swift will mark the first official ACFT track and lanes in the Texas National Guard, said Collier.
The entire project, from surveying all the way through the final build, is estimated to be finished by the end of Summer 2023. When the project is complete it will be open to all National Guardsmen throughout the state of Texas, not just the ones attending the leadership schools. The facility will be part of instilling the important fundamental habit of maintaining physical and mental toughness throughout a Soldier’s career. The habits of a leader will become habits of their unit or team; a fact that makes the ACFT track a very valuable resource for the Texas Military Department. A resource made possible by the real-world application of the 176th Engineers training, proving just how important Army National Guard Engineers are to Texas.
“Engineers are absolutely critical,” said Collier. “Not only for improving our training areas, but also for the operations we do around the state of Texas. Engineers are critical for supporting wildfires, high floods, hurricanes. The Engineers have a lot of specialty equipment that is not only important for our tactical mission abroad but here helping save Texas citizens during Texas emergencies.”
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2023 16:48 |
| Story ID: | 441217 |
| Location: | BASTROP, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 345 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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