Photo By Sgt. William Hill | Indiana National Guard Soldiers from the 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade,...... read more read more
CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. – Green smoke engulfed the road as insurgents shot small-arms fire aimlessly from inside a complex at silhouettes within the billowing cloud. Two four-man fire-teams dressed in dusty digital fatigues rushed the insurgents from their concealment, bursting through the doors, moving tactically toward the lurking enemy. The Soldiers successfully secured the building, completing their mission during this pre-mobilization training exercise.
Approximately 250 Indiana National Guard Soldiers from the 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, headquartered at the Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center in central Indiana, traveled more than 200 miles to Wendell Ford Regional Training Center, Ky., for 17 days of high-adrenaline, realistic, pre-mobilization training, June 13.
The Soldiers completed roughly 70 core-warrior tasks and drills such as land navigation, assist and respond to threats, first aid-buddy care and many more lifesaving training exercises to prepare them for their scheduled deployment to Iraq next year.
Executive Officer, 1st Lt. Matthew Hygema, a South Bend, Ind., native, Headquarters and Headquarters Company 219th BSFB said this training is vital to every Soldier from the lower-enlisted to the commander.
“Each of us has our own [military occupational specialty] but every Soldier is a rifleman first,” said Hygema. “For some of the Soldiers, this is the first time they implemented battle tactics since basic training.”
One such Soldier, Pvt. Christopher Montgomery, an Oakland City, Ind., native and cavalry scout in the 219th BFSB, received news of his mobilization just two weeks after returning home from basic training and his initial cavalry scout school.
Montgomery whose family has a rich military lineage said, he knew he had a high potential for going to war.
“I felt obligated to serve my country because I have several generations of family that served in the military since the Civil War,” Montgomery said. “My cousin is currently deployed to Afghanistan fighting the War on Terror.”
He said the pre-mobilization training reinforced skills he will use in Iraq, but more importantly, it was a great way to build camaraderie with his fellow Soldiers since he is new to the unit.
The high-intensity training was challenging for the newly enlisted and combat veterans alike. For Sgt. Michael Davis, a squad leader in the 438th Signal Company, 219th BFSB, this will be his second deployment.
“This is one of my better pre-mobilization training exercises,” Davis said. “Especially the first-aid-buddy care because every Soldier needs the skills to save a life.”
| Date Taken: | 07.13.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.15.2010 14:04 |
| Story ID: | 52884 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 413 |
| Downloads: | 127 |
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