Photo By Spc. Elijah Morlett | Soldiers from Company A, 700th Brigade Support Battalion, latch cargo to a hovering...... read more read more
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JOHNSTON, Iowa – Soldiers from the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 700th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) have returned home from an annual training experience that many members have said was unlike any other. The unit, headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma, traveled in April to the Sustainment Training Center at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, to receive unique training offered exclusively at this facility.
Lt. Col. Chad Binstock, the 700th BSB commander, said the Soldiers’ experiences from Camp Dodge “will make a tremendous impact” for its parent unit, Oklahoma’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
“They are going to go back with a greater pride in themselves with the things they have learned,” Binstock said. “When we go back to Oklahoma to continue to support the Brigade, their skill set, what they do, and how they do it will be fine tuned.”
The Battalion includes three companies specializing in logistics, vehicle maintenance and medical care. Binstock said with the companies constantly fulfilling their support duties, they don’t always get the chance to “reset” and do their own training. At Camp Dodge, the Soldiers were able to focus on honing their individual skills and techniques in their military specialties.
“Here, with the subject matter experts, the latest programs of instruction and latest and greatest equipment the Army has to offer, the companies in this battalion have the opportunity to go at a slower pace,” he said. “They go through the crawl-walk-run phases instead of always running and having to support another unit ... From an esprit de corps perspective, the Soldiers are highly motivated. I haven’t seen smiles on their faces like this in a long time.”
Michael Bacino, who serves as the director of National Guard services for the Sustainment Training Center, said the facility is the only place in the U.S. Army that focuses on battalion-level operations for sustainment units. Bacino said throughout the country, these types of units are always occupied in environments needing mission support, which isn’t conducive to meeting the individual training needs of sustainment Soldiers.
“In our environment, it’s the exact opposite – we teach the sustainment units how to do their tasks both individually and collectively,” Bacino said. “Our trainers are up-to-date in their fields and they are well versed on current doctrine. We keep current so that we are teaching the absolute latest information. We have a variety of equipment, so we can teach both legacy and the new model equipment so maintenance can get the experience.”
“We strive very hard to ensure we have the latest equipment. We want Soldiers to train in the military occupational specialty that they joined the Guard for, and to get the most robust training they can get out of an annual training period,” said Bacino.
From the Oklahoma Soldiers’ perspective, the training center accomplished its mission. Soldiers from Company A, 700th BSB, completed many logistics training missions, which included tactical transportation, water purification, and sling load operations. Additionally, Spc. Azja’Nee Cain, an automated logistical specialist from Norman, Oklahoma, said the company was able to prepare for a new logistics system being introduced.
“Taking this training home is one of the best things we can ever do,” Cain said. “Since our systems transfer over this year, we’ll be able to take that knowledge back with us.”
Sgt. AJ Knapp, a wheeled vehicle mechanic from Coweta, Oklahoma, said the maintenance Soldiers of Company B, 700th BSB, gained access to a shop environment with “every tool you could possibly need,” which allowed them to perform maintenance on different vehicles. They were also able to perform necessary maintenance on their unit’s vehicles.
“I would say that the last time I did this type of training prior to going overseas was in advanced individual training,” Knapp said. “I feel like everybody has learned a lot by being here and has really enjoyed it.”
The Soldiers of Company C, 700th BSB, worked towards recertifying both military and civilian skills required for their medical positions. Sgt. Rachelle Reed, a health care specialist from Claremore, Oklahoma, said the company’s medics received “hands-on training on real-life scenarios” and completed simulations for trauma care, combat casualties and medical evacuations.
“Some of our medics have not seen this type of training since advanced individual training because a lot of this stuff you will only see in a [training] environment,” Reed said. “Here, we’ve had the environment, school, and equipment to put them back through that training and make sure everybody is up on their skills. It’s been amazing.”
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2015 16:05 |
| Story ID: | 161568 |
| Location: | IOWA, US |
| Web Views: | 224 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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