CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. — A Michigan National Guard Soldier is expanding his role in field artillery by completing 13M training at the Wyoming National Guard Regional Training Institute.
The training took place at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, March 20, 2026.
Spc. Justin Gorecki, a 13M transition course student assigned to the 182nd Forward Support Company, Michigan National Guard, of Detroit, Michigan, is attending the course to gain experience operating the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
Gorecki previously served as an 88M motor transport operator, supporting artillery units through logistics and transportation missions.
“We did similar work, just with different equipment,” Gorecki said. “Now I get to be more involved on the firing side.”
During the course, students train on both High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and the reload supply vehicle (RSV), which is used to transport and load rocket pods. “This is the RSV,” Gorecki said. “We unload and load pods so they can be transporte d to a reload point.”
He said the difference between an ammunition crew and a firing crew is clear once training begins.
“The ammo crew distributes the pods,” Gorecki said. “The HIMARS goes out, picks them up and executes the mission.”
Training begins in the classroom before transitioning into hands-on instruction, where Soldiers operate equipment and perform tasks they will use in their units.
“We started with classroom instruction, then moved into hands-on training,” Gorecki said. “Now we’re out here applying it.”
Gorecki said his prior experience operating cranes helped him adjust quickly to the new equipment. “The controls are different, but I’ve used cranes before,” he said. “Once you understand it, it starts to come together.”
The course builds toward a field training exercise, where students operate in realistic conditions and perform their roles as part of a crew.
“Getting out here and actually using the equipment is the best part,” Gorecki said. “That’s where everything comes together.”
He said the training will help him contribute more directly to his unit and prepare for future opportunities. “I’m hoping to deploy and use what I’ve learned,” Gorecki said. “That’s the goal.”
As Soldiers return to their home states, training like this increases the number of HIMARS-qualified personnel across the National Guard and strengthens unit readiness.