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CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. — For many Soldiers in the Wyoming National Guard’s 13M transition course, the path to HIMARS did not begin in field artillery.
The training took place at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, March 20, 2026.
Sgt. Tye Jarrard, of Kaycee, Wyoming, spent 14 years on active duty as a 15R, working on Apache helicopters before transitioning to the Wyoming National Guard.
“I wanted to come back home to Wyoming,” Jarrard said. “I’ve got family here, and it gave me the support I needed as a single parent.”
After years in aviation maintenance, he wanted something different.
“With aviation, you launch the aircraft and they go do the mission,” he said. “Now I’m part of the mission itself.” Jarrard is one of several Soldiers in the course bringing experience from other specialties, including logistics, communications and maintenance.
“That prior experience matters,” said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larkey. “It helps them understand the bigger picture and makes them better teammates.”
Transitioning to a new role comes with challenges. New systems, new terminology and new responsibilities all come at once.
“There’s always going to be things you don’t know,” Jarrard said. “You just have to ask questions and keep moving forward.”
Students say the course is structured to support that process.
“You learn it, you apply it, and then you build on it,” Jarrard said. “You’re not just cramming information.”
As Wyoming expands its field artillery capability, experienced Soldiers are helping fill key roles in growing units. “There’s a lot of opportunity here,” Buchanan said. “We’re growing, and we need Soldiers who are ready to step into those positions.”
For Jarrard, the transition is about more than a new job. It is about being in the right place, at the right time, with the right mission.
“I’ll call Wyoming home,” he said. “Being able to serve here and be part of something that’s growing means a lot.”
As the Wyoming National Guard builds its HIMARS force, Soldiers like Jarrard are applying their prior experience to the 13M mission.
| Date Taken: | 03.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2026 15:04 |
| Story ID: | 561138 |
| Location: | CASPER, WYOMING, US |
| Hometown: | KAYCEE, WYOMING, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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