YAKIMA TRAINING CENTER, Wash. – Three of the highest-ranking enlisted personnel from the Texas Army National Guard traveled over a snow covered mountains and lush green forest to the opposite side of Mount Rainier, where they touchdown at Yakima Training Center.
The 36th Infantry Division Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Wilson Early, along with Command Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Broyles, the Command Sergeant Major of the Texas Army National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. Bradley Brandt, the Command Sergeant Major of the 72nd Brigade Combat Team, came to this location to view and assist in training with the Personal Security Detachment and the 36th ID Band, who are engaged in the 10-day convoy training and personnel escort event in preparation for Operation New Dawn.
United State Forces-Iraq still have the inherent right to self-defense and may take actions, as necessary, to protect themselves and the people of Iraq, according to the Security of Forces Agreement between the Government of Iraq and the United States.
“(One of the final) exercise’s is a PSD-specific live fire, where they are actually escorting a ‘primary’ to an engagement,” said Cpt. Adam Letham, 1-357 Infantry, 191st Training Brigade, Officer in Charge of the training event. “They end up taking direct and indirect fire and then have to react to that by securing (the) ‘primary’, moving them to a strong point and then evacuating them from the battlefield.”
The training conducted at Yakima concluded with an extensive test of their ability to escort and protect any person placed in their charge, or as they are often referred to, the “primary”.
“They are really motivated and they are ready to go,” said Early. “You could see the difference between when they went through on the blank fire and when they went through on live fire. They continue to increase their skills, so I think they are ready to (deploy).”
This unique opportunity gave the PSD and the band the opportunity to actually train alongside their Division Command Sergeant Major, who is often portrayed by a fellow Soldier due to the operation tempo of most training events.
“We have been going from small to big everyday,” said 1Lt. Matthew Faulkner, Platoon Leader for PSD. “We started off shooting M240 and .50 Caliber then bringing in the vehicles into a moving motorcade in a convoy.”
Arrowhead Soldiers guided and guarded the command sergeant’s major through a gauntlet of engagements while traveling in a convoy. They reacted to improvised explosive devices, small arms fire and facilitated the evacuation of a casualty, all while ensuring the well being of their “primary” and the completion of the mission.
The Soldiers trained using battle drills and warrior tasks in combination with lessoned learned from previous deployments. The goal is to have a good foundation in convoy operations and personal security tactics before their deployment in support of Operation New Dawn.
“We made it as complex as possible,” said Letham. “We have done a number of iterations and they are doing very well. (The 36th ID) should be very proud of (their) Soldiers.”
| Date Taken: |
11.11.2010 |
| Date Posted: |
11.11.2010 16:54 |
| Story ID: |
59939 |
| Location: |
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: |
116 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, Command Sergeant’s Major joins Arrowhead Soldiers for Live Fire Exercise, by SGT Jeremy Spires, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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