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FORT POLK, La. — The last time Capt. Miguel Moyeno and 1st Sgt. Matthew Carter were at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, they were the command team for Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 353rd Infantry Regiment, and were tasked with providing training for newly stood up Army units: The 1st and 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigades.
Today, the pair is back at the JRTC participating in Rotation 20-08 as part of the 4th SFAB: Moyeno as a team leader, Team 3, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 4th SFAB, and Carter the B Co first sergeant.
Moyeno said in addition to helping train 1st and 2nd SFAB, he also came back to JRTC as an observer during the 3rd SFAB’s rotation.
“I think that experience will make it easier for me to go through it (rotation) — there’s not a lot that I haven’t seen” he said. “I was able to see it as a trainer, as an observer, and now I get to put it all together.
“It gives me a good perspective of what could happen and what ‘right’ looks like. It allows me to raise the bar.”
Moyeno said other members of his unit have asked what they can expect during an SFAB rotation at JRTC since he’s been through it and had the past experiences.
“It’s been instrumental for my team and the company,” he said. “It’s helpful in preparing for the rotation. We said, ‘We can let JRTC happen to us, or we can at least come to JRTC to succeed.’”
In addition to training and observing SFABs at JRTC, Moyeno also went to Iraq to watch 1st SFAB during its deployment to develop training plans for 2nd SFAB.
“The experience of going to Iraq while I was here to see what areas we needed to train the SFABs has been key to my development, and helped shape the expectations of my team,” he said. “We do all this training, but actually going to Iraq and seeing what an SFAB does and what it looks like, was important. Getting to see the end result allowed me to let my team know of the importance of the training.”
SFAB members are all volunteers. Moyeno said that’s a force multiplier for his team.
“With everyone wanting to be part of the team and go through the selection process, it shows those who really want to make a difference,” he said. “When you have a collective group of individuals like that, it makes the job easier. I think the experience will make them valuable members when they return to their normal brigade combat teams.”
When Moyeno said he walked past his old company area on North Fort after arriving May 31, he thought of everything he and Carter accomplished during their time with A Co.
“One of our biggest improvements was professionalizing the instructors,” he said. “I think they bring a lot to the table and support a huge mission that is relatively unknown, advisors that need training before they deploy and take positions. I was glad to be part of that.”
Carter agreed that he had done a little reminiscing since returning to North Fort.
“It’s great coming back,” he said. “Seeing the same area I used to work in and getting to see old friends. It’s hot, but it’s better than being cold. I’m a big fan of Fort Polk.”
Carter said he’s impressed with how JRTC Operations Group Observer, Controller/Trainers have developed the flexibility to train an array of different units.
“It’s amazing to see how the OC/Ts are able to jump from an IBCT (Infantry Brigade Combat Team) to an SFAB and shows just what professionals they are,” he said. “I’m excited to be here. Capt. Moyeno and I have been bragging the past year about the professionalism of the OC/Ts.”
Carter said Soldiers quizzed him in his company on what they could expect at Fort Polk.
“The first question they asked was if the horses were still there,” he said. “I said, ‘yes.’ Joking aside, they definitely picked mine and Captain Moyeno’s brains a lot. We were able to share lessons learned with the team. I’m really thankful that while I was here, JRTC, the 353rd, all the way up to the COG (Commander Operations Group) and Brigadier General Frank, supported our decision to go to the SFAB and share our knowledge.”
Carter said the 4th SFAB wants to learn from their mistakes during Rotation 20-08, rather than when they deploy later this summer.
“I think that’s an advantage of being in an organization with more senior Soldiers — we’re more open to receiving criticism,” he said. “We have an open mentality. We understand the OC/Ts are going to pull us aside and tell us we messed up, but they’re doing that because they believe in their mission. We’ve told our team that sometimes they might see an OC/T as an enemy, but we’ve been there and they are there to make the organization better.”
Carter said if the Army sees fit, he hopes to one day make it back to Fort Polk.
“Anytime I tell someone at Fort Carson that I came from Fort Polk, they’ll take a deep breath and say, ‘Oh my gosh, you came from there?’” he said. “I explain to them it’s different when you’re stationed there, you develop relationships with people. It’s one of the best Army communities I’ve ever experienced, as well as one of the finest military posts.
“There is so much to do here. And the support of the leadership is incredible all the way to Brigadier General Frank. He’s always out front, leading the way. I really like the small town community feel of Fort Polk.”
| Date Taken: | 06.12.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2020 15:03 |
| Story ID: | 372041 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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