Photo By Capt. Carlos Agosto | Soldiers from the 282nd Quartermaster Company react to an ambush during a convoy...... read more read more
By Spc. Anthony Hooker
JOLON, Calif. - Army Reserve Soldiers conducted lanes training exercises, June 16-24, during the Combat Support Training Exercise in Fort Hunter Liggett, More than 2,000 Army Reserve Soldiers from around the country converged at Fort Hunter Liggett to participate in the Combat Support Training Exercise; a large scale logistics sustainment exercise which recreated a deployment environment, to sharpen their warrior battle skills. One particular lane focused on helping Soldiers identify and defeat the realistic threat of encountering improvised-explosive devices during convoy movements.
Fort Hunter Liggett provides valuable, realistic battlefield training to Reserve Soldiers and leaders scheduled to deploy sometime in the near future.
The 352nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion headquarters based in Macon, Ga., joined four other units in pre-mobilization training to reinforce situational awareness for their troops. The lane training introduced challenges such as maneuvering through a crowded area, recognizing and responding to an IED, and keeping a convoy intact.
Soldiers also learned how to prioritize objectives when engaged by foreign nationals.
“In today’s fight, there is no rear,” said Lt. Col. Samuel Farmer, Jr., the officer in charge of the Observer Controller/Trainers during the CSTX. “In the beginning, logistical Soldiers are shocked a little because many of them are thinking ‘I don’t have to worry about this because I’m in the rear.’”
It is crucial that today’s Soldiers know basic combat skills and how to protect themselves, no matter what job they perform. Once this is understood, troops are eager to learn what is necessary, Farmer added.
Often during lane training, convoys suffer casualties and losses to enemy tactics. With the threat of enemies constantly around, many trainees were overwhelmed by the actions of the opposing forces, which ranged from general unruliness to deception. Cpl. Lawrence Purvis, a supply clerk with the 352nd CSSB, was a convoy commander during a practice run and said the training grabbed his attention.
“The training opened my eyes to situations I wasn’t really prepared for,” said Purvis. “It taught me to always be on guard, not to be complacent.”
Staff Sgt. Jeff Jordan, a squad leader with the 380th Quartermaster Battalion, from Evansville, Ind., was in the same convoy as Purvis. Jordan, whose unit joined Purvis’ during the lane exercises, said the combined effort helped Soldiers improve their adaptability.
“You have to know more than your own job in the Army, so training in different aspects is good for us,” said Jordan.
Purvis said although he had to quickly figure out how to incorporate the new convoy members, he was satisfied with the unforeseen challenges.
“No training is bad,” he said. “You can always learn something in training because preparation [for an unforeseen event] is always good.”
Jason Teachey, a contractor with the Department of Defense, supervised the IED-defeat training and noticed the changes to Soldiers as a result of the training.
“As the units go through training in our lanes, I frequently see a rise in unit cohesion and individual self-confidence,” said Teachey. “Training is a morale booster and a natural camaraderie emerges among convoy members.”
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2010 22:14 |
| Story ID: | 51866 |
| Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 748 |
| Downloads: | 401 |
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