Photo By Stephanie Abdullah | Soldiers from the 631st Chemical Company of the Montana Army National Guard are tasked...... read more read more
RAPID CITY, S.D. — It's the middle of the night and each paratrooper has the same puzzled look on their face. They only have 20 minutes before the next security patrol passes by.
Their objective — destroy the nearby enemy chemical plant.
The only thing that stands in their way is the 6-foot tall electrical fence that surrounds the compound, which could kill them and reveal their location. They look at each other for an answer, but at first, nothing comes.
Then one of them speaks up. Within six minutes, all five paratroopers are inside the compound and on their way to completing their mission. Of course, their mission now is to move to the next station, and not to blow up a chemical plant.
That's because these "paratroopers" are really Soldiers with the Army National Guard, the undisclosed location is Rapid City, S.D., and they are taking part in the Leadership Reaction Course as part of the Golden Coyote training exercise.
"It's kind of like a confidence course," said Master Sgt. Mary B. Jackson, non-commissioned officer in charge of the LRC lanes, Army National Guard Joint Force Headquarters out of Rapid City, S.D. "It just improves their self confidence. Some of these obstacles are a little bit tough."
The obstacles are set up at eight stations, each providing a unique challenge to participants of the course.
"We [have] a Soldier at each station that presents the scenario, tells them what they have to do at the station and [provides] a solution if they don't get it ... then walks them through it," said Jackson.
Service members at one of the stations have 20 minutes to get through two wooden fences that represent the electrical fence. Spc. Victor R. Carrillo, a medic with the 7230th Medical Support Unit out of March Air Force Base, Riverside, Calif., oversees the first station and ensures every participant gets a briefing about the lane.
"You only have a certain amount of time to navigate the obstacle, so you don't have much time to discuss it, you have to come up with a plan quickly and then implement it," said Carrillo.
The service members are given three hours complete all the stations. "It's training that not only teaches them how to get through these obstacles and different types of things, it's relaxed, it's not graded," said Jackson.
"It builds teamwork and it makes you use your brain a little bit more," said Spc. Derrick R. Bessy, chemical operations specialist, Reconnaissance Detachment, 631st Chemical Company from Anaconda, Mont. Derrick said he enjoyed the training, as well as the weather.
"I was hoping for this activity, that we would get muddy somewhere," Derrick added with a smile on his face.
At the end of the day, Jackson, Carrillo and the other trainers hope all the participants not only enjoy the training, but take something from it.
"To take back teamwork and critical thinking skills and how to work together as a team to accomplish a task out in the field is the overall importance," said Sgt. Austin Davis, a medic with the 6252nd out of San Diego, Calif.
| Date Taken: | 06.12.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 06.14.2009 15:33 |
| Story ID: | 35040 |
| Location: | RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 756 |
| Downloads: | 504 |
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