Photo By Sgt. Marie Bryant | Gun team five, a team of artillerymen assigned to Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion,...... read more read more
Fort Polk, La. -- Arkansas Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) have traveled to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) to attend a two-week training exercise that will put its Soldiers to the test as they train and operate inside the box, a realistic combat training environment, during the last two weeks of July.
JRTC is a crucial training event for the brigade to experience the challenges of combined arms training, explained Arkansas Army National Guard Sgt. Seth Franke, who is an artilleryman assigned to Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery Regiment (FAR).
“One of the biggest things that I am excited about for this training rotation is experiencing what it is like to have a force on force; that means we are in a simulated war,” Franke said. “ I think one of the most exciting things is to experience it and know how I can react and how I should think while it’s happening in real time.”
The Arkansas Army National Guard’s 39th IBCT is scheduled to enter the box beginning July 17. Spc. Matthew Vancleaf, a cannon crewmember who's also assigned to the 206th Field Artillery Regiment based out of Russellville, Arkansas said his unit has been preparing for JRTC all year long.
1st Battalion, 206th FAR Soldiers attended an eight-day training event at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas as preparation for their rotation to JRTC. The training event consisted of convoy movement training and numerous crew drills with the M777 Howitzer. These drills help Soldiers be familiar with every role in firing the long ranged artillery weapon. 206th Soldiers also trained on reaction to ambushes and enemy fire, as well as security procedures, explained 1st Lt. William Combs, Platoon Leader for Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 206th FAR.
While the Soldiers do not have a definitive idea of what to expect while in the box, the field artillerymen of the 206th FAR were given a rough idea of "shoot, move, and communicate on a very large scale," as explained by Combs.
“I think we are going to learn a lot and come out a much better force on the back side because we will have first hand experience,” added Combs.
Between the intense training and potential for lessons learned, this will be an annual training that these Soldiers will likely never forget.
| Date Taken: | 07.16.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.16.2021 13:57 |
| Story ID: | 401045 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 332 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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