Photo By Spc. John Stauffer | Washington National Guard Soldiers with Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry...... read more read more
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Washington National Guard infantrymen with 'Bear' Company, 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, made the most of their monthly training by conducting squad training exercises on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Jan. 6, 2024.
The training is geared towards reacting to contact, which could come from anywhere at anytime. The squads no idea when or where or what they are going to get hit with. Their job is to quickly access the situation and react accordingly. The added twist this time around was putting the junior members in charge.
“We were putting them in leadership roles,” Cpl. Dilan Saeed said. “It’s to get them ready and plant that seed for their future and getting them to realize and know what a team leader has to do and what their job entails. We hope that they take our place one day.”
The training begins when the squad steps off for a patrol in the woods. They are given intelligence that there are potential hostels in the area and they are ordered to find and neutralize them. In this specific case, the squad was ambushed by hostels behind a wooded hill. Saeed’s team performed cover and move tactics to keep the hostiles pinned down so they could storm the hill.
Once they gain access to the hill, they sweep the area and terminate any remaining hostiles, and take inventory of all personnel, equipment, and ammo. A member of Saeed’s team is simulating also taking damage themselves. The rest of the team needs to get to a safe area, gain security, and ask for medical evacuation.
“My favorite part is being with the guys,” said Saeed. “Even the not so fun stuff like being out here in the wet and cold. Pain and suffering is a cohesion and we go through it together and become closer as the training goes on.”
After the request is sent up the training is over and an after action review is commenced. This is the most important part of the training as it is where everything is broken down for everyone’s benefit. What is good is sustain, what needs correction is made, and what needs to be discarded for later is noted.
“It's a collective suffering,” said Pfc. Marcellus Thomson, one of the members under Saeed going through the training with 2nd Platoon. “I don’t mind it though. We’re out here together embracing it.”
The unique mission of the Washington National Guard means that Soldiers could be deployed for a variety of missions, both overseas and abroad.
“The best part of being in the WARNG is that we get to do things that others don’t get to do. We get to deploy and train out in the field. It’s a wonderful place to help build leadership skills and build your character,” said Thomson.
| Date Taken: | 01.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 01.08.2024 00:20 |
| Story ID: | 461439 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 199 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Washington National Guard Soldiers react to contact, by SPC John Stauffer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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