Texas National Guardsmen, UPDF NCOs Mentor Soldiers

Courtesy Photo | Uganda Peoples Defense Force soldiers and U.S. Army Cpl. Michael Strickland, Task Force Raptor, 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, Texas Army National Guard, conduct military operations in urban terrain drills. The UPDF invited the U.S. soldiers to participate in a best-practices exchange May 7-June 8. The Texas National Guardsmen conduct various military-to-military exchanges in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, whose mission is to build partnerships with nations in East Africa.  

SINGO, UGANDA

06.13.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendon 

Task Force Raptor (3-124 CAV)

SINGO, Uganda -- When U.S. Army Sgt. Krystal Earles became a non-commissioned officer, she immediately learned the importance of accountability. Ever since then, she has passed on this fundamental leadership skill to junior NCOs.

“‘Where are your soldiers?,’ that was the first thing my senior sergeants would ask me when I was promoted,” said Earles, team leader, Task Force Raptor, 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, Texas Army National Guard. “I immediately realized how fundamentally important this was. To best lead your soldiers, you have to know where they’re at, not only geographically, but physically and mentally as well.”

According to Earles, this was the basis of an exchange in Peace Support Operations soldier Skills Field Training she and fellow U.S. soldiers held with their Uganda Peoples Defense Force counterparts, May 7 – June 8.

For the month they were there, Earles, Sgt. 1st Class Curtis Stille, Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewis, and Cpl. Michael Strickland, Task Force Raptor, 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, Texas Army National Guard, shared their experience and best practices on basic infantry skills.

“We discussed topics like maneuvering through the jungle, establishing a support-by-fire position, guiding your soldiers through suppressive fire, breaching an obstacle, and finally, seizing the objective,” Earles said.

The discussions were followed by practical exercises conducted by the Ugandan soldiers. Stille appreciated the motivation and professionalism in which these were carried out.

“It was good to see how well the Ugandan soldiers performed during the live-fire exercises,” Stille said. “They were very motivated to put all that was discussed to the test. You could tell they were very proud of how they performed the assaults and tasks given.”

The Ugandan and U.S. Army non-commissioned officers worked together to help mentor more than 3,500 Ugandan soldiers. Earles believes the union, with the different leadership styles and varied experiences, contributed to the success.

“It was interesting to see how Ugandan non-commissioned officers worked with their soldiers,” Earles said. “When it was my turn to share my experiences, I immediately referred to my beginnings as an NCO and simply asked them, ‘Where are your soldiers?’”

• Date Taken: 06.13.2012
• Date Posted: 06.22.2012 12:34
• Story ID: 90448
• Location: SINGO, UG