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Strength From Within
Members of the 293rd Infantry
conduct a four mile road march prior to the end of a three
week pre-mobilization training period at Camp Atterbury
Joint Maneuver Training Center. The unit has received alert
orders to deploy with the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
in 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo by
Staff Sgt. Les Newport |
The
Indiana National Guard's 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
is fully engaged, according to Col. Cory Carr, brigade
commander.
The IBCT is one of four
Army National Guard brigades that has received alert orders
for 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, bringing as
many as 14,000 additional National Guard Soldiers to the
struggling region.
"As I've met with the
Soldiers of the brigade, I continue to be impressed with
their skills, their commitment and motivation," said
Carr. |
| "The
experience of our officers and non commissioned officers
compliments the motivation, morale, and capability of our
Soldiers."
In an effort to minimize
long deployments of reserve component units, the brigade
recently finished the first of several training periods
focused on individual pre-mobilization training.
"That's the most
challenging task," said Capt. Richard Fantozzi,
commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the
76th Brigade, "setting the conditions and securing the
best trainer to ensure that we are to standard."
Trainers from the Indiana
National Guard's 38th Infantry Division, First Army's 205th
Training Support Brigade, and civilian contractors have
instructed courses for 2,300 members of the brigade when
necessary, but the 76th IBCT has been able to muster
qualified trainers from their own ranks in most cases.
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Members of
the Indiana National Guard's 76th Infantry Brigade Combat
Team enter and clear a multi-level structure at Camp
Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center. The Soldiers
trained for several scenarios on the Military Operation on
Urban Terrain training site during an annual training
period. The Indiana National Guard brigade is preparing for
an upcoming deployment in support of the Global War on
Terrorism. Capt. Lisa Kopczynski |
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The Indiana National Guard's
Spc. Chad Ayinde demonstrates an escape maneuver from Spc.
Josh McDonald during combative training at Camp Atterbury
Joint Maneuver Training Center. The former New Castle,
Indiana wrestling standout brought his considerable
grappling skills to train Soldiers of the 76th Infantry
Brigade Combat Team. The Indiana National Guard brigade is
preparing for an upcoming deployment in support of the
Global War on Terrorism. Photo by Staff Sgt. Les Newport
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Spc.
Chad Ayinde was a high school and college wrestling stand
out and a natural instructor for Army Combatives Training.
An assistant wrestling coach at New Castle Chrysler High
School, the infantryman
drew on his considerable grappling skills to bring the unit
up to speed on Army close quarters hand-to-hand combat
techniques.
"It's learning to tap
into an inner strength. (Soldiers) learn that you can give
more than what you think you're able to," said Ayinde.
As in much of the training,
Ayinde's combatives class was held during an oppressive heat
wave and high humidity that affected much of the country
with heat indexes rising well past 100 degrees. |
Ayinde said his wrestling
experience also gave him a sound foundation for service in the
National Guard: "Like the military, it's such a testing
environment."
In a more technical arena, Maj.
Justin Mann was able to provide insight on a new small- arms
sighting system that was issued to the unit.
Mann is a weapons development
manager with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, a southern Indiana
facility that specializes in acquisition and support of electronics,
ordnance and electronic warfighting products and systems.
"The M68 is a close combat
optic, an aim and point system," said Mann. It gives our
Soldiers an added capability to shoot accurately and faster."
Mann spent one-on-one time with
several Soldiers on Camp Atterbury's firing ranges as they became
familiar with the new technology while qualifying with M4 Carbines.
Mann said he watched as Soldiers grew more confident in their
weapons and the M68.
"Once they understand that the
fundamentals are the same, they realize all they have to do is place
that red dot on the target," said Mann.
Fantozzi says the M68 is just one
example of the technology that is available throughout the brigade,
systems that were not available during his first deployment to Iraq
in 2003.
"That's the biggest
difference. We're surrounded by it," said Fantozzi as he
clicked off technological advances that will affect the way every
section of the brigade will do business.
Fantozzi said the fielding of new
equipment is a double-edged sword, giving his Soldiers a whole new
set of tools to work with, but requiring a whole new set of advanced
skills to use them effectively.
The company commander says the
resources provided by Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center,
a National Guard facility federalized to support the training of
reserve component forces, have been invaluable to meet the brigade's
training goals.
"I'm sure most of my
(Soldiers) are not fully aware, but we are very fortunate to be able
to pre-mob at Camp Atterbury," said Fantozzi. "The goal of
completing these tasks is so important."
Capt. Gary Blagburn brings
experience from his civilian profession as an administrative captain
with the Fishers Police Department just north of Indianapolis, as
well as having returned from a deployment in Iraq just 19 months
ago.
Blagburn was Headquarters and
Headquarters Company commander of the 939th Military Police
Detachment, a unit that served in Balad and Baghdad Iraq. The unit
was the first Indiana National Guard unit to receive the
Presidential Meritorious Unit Citation Award since Viet Nam.
This will be the military police
officer's first tour with an Army Infantry unit, but he says he is
already impressed with brigade's motivation to tackle and accomplish
a task.
"It's been an
eye-opener," said Blagburn. "We will definitely be
successful. If the NCOs stay motivated and the brigade maintains
this constant vigilance, we're good."
by Staff Sgt. Les Newport
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