NY Army National Guard Vets Say: Get Ready, Get Set for JRTC [Image 6 of 7]

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

08.01.2001

Courtesy Photo

New York National Guard

A Soldier of the New York Army National Guard’s 27th Brigade uses a radio at the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk Louisiana during the brigade’s war-fighting exercises there in August, 2001. The unit, now designated the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), is heading there again for war-fighting exercises in July. New York Army National Guard combat veterans, who trained with the brigade at JRTC in 2001, praised JRTC, saying it prepared them for overseas deployments during America’s war on terror. Sgt. 1st Class Justin Westfall, of Valatie, N.Y., said undergoing simulated casualties at JRTC teaches Soldiers how to evacuate wounded troops, and to step up — and into — leadership roles. “At one point there were four people left in the platoon,” Westfall said. “It teaches you to carry out missions with limited resources. (JRTC) really gives you the ‘next man up’ situation. You have to know what the mission is and what the scenario is and keep things moving forward.” (U.S. Army National Guard file photo/released)

• Date Taken: 08.01.2001
• Date Posted: 06.09.2016 11:05
• Photo ID: 2645585
• VIRIN: 010801-Z-ZZ999-006
• Resolution: 1250x1188
• Size: 903.67 KB
• Location: NEW YORK, US
• Hometown: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, US