Photo By Spc. Christian Wilson | Florida Army National Guard (FLARNG) Soldiers with Bravo Company, 53rd Brigade Support...... read more read more
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CAMP SHELBY, Miss.- Nearly 5,000 Florida Army National Guard Soldiers reported to participate in the Exportable Combat Training Capability in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, July 2024.
XCTC is roughly two weeks long involving exercises that range from mortar and artillery live fire, to helicopter and infantry exercises designed to increase the readiness of the 53rd Infantry Combat Brigade Team for future deployments. The FLARNG uses a large array of assets to achieve success in an ever-evolving world with new training challenges to prepare for a possible near-peer conflict.
“Our sustainers are out there, they're pushing log packs, pushing the resupply, and feeding the beast, so that Soldiers in the hot weather can stay in training,” said Army Col. Sam Sargeant, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team commander.
XCTC is designed to improve the FLARNG’s sustainability and effectiveness in the austere conditions they could find in a hostile, deployed environment.
XCTC coordinators and leadership have ensured that Soldiers have supplies, such as water, food, ice, fuel, ammunition and cold-water dunk tanks to keep troops in the fight while training.
Maryland Army National Guard Capt. Andres Longoria, a supply services management officer, with 1297 Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, belongs to a support element that helped provide items critical to the soldier care effort during XCTC.
“We break it down to various subcategories for support battalions and those battalions are currently in the field,” said Longoria.
“We load them up on trucks and we push them down range to support the soldiers that are stationed out there,” said Longoria.
Along with supplies for Soldiers in the field there are significant amounts of safety measures in place to provide Soldiers with all the support they would require during an exercise of this level.
Professionally trained medical staff are aware of the challenges that Soldiers face during XCTC and medics throughout Camp Shelby are on standby to address any medical needs or concerns for Soldiers participating in the exercise.
“I can’t speak enough about our medics, physicians, surgeons and doctors at the brigade level and below,” Sergeant said. “That apparatus has been amazing at keeping Soldiers in the appropriate role of care so they can return to the fight.”
The leadership during this exercise recognized the importance of a healthy force and employed several safeguards for Soldiers at XCTC to keep health and well-being a top priority.
XCTC played a critical role in making the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team a fighting force that can operate anywhere in the world, in austere conditions, day or night.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.29.2024 10:47 |
| Story ID: | 477189 |
| Location: | HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 158 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Florida National Guard Sustaining Soldiers During XCTC, by SPC Christian Wilson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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