Soldiers complete training exercise at Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center
Members of a task force with the New York Army National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team successfully completed the rigors of a force on force training exercise here July 29 and begin heading home this week.
The troops, with more than 5,000 participants from more than 30 states across the country, spent nearly the month of July at Fort Polk as part of the training rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center, known as JRTC.
Their experience included deployment and staging at Fort Polk followed by more than ten days of offensive and defensive missions in the post maneuver areas against a real opposing force.
The maneuver training is designed to challenge all the components of the maneuver brigade, including infantry, artillery and aviation operations, engineering and reconnaissance tasks, logistics and resupply and medical support and personnel replacements.
The brigade task force included the entire New York Army National Guard brigade combat team, along with supporting elements that included additional infantry units from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Aviation support for the task force included aircrews from Connecticut, Maryland and Utah.
New York Army National Guard Specialist Ian Mathewson, from Oneida, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Bravo Company (Military Intelligence), 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Private 1st Class Mark Marvin, from Earlville, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Bravo Company (Maintenance), 427th Brigade Support Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Private 1st Class Nathaniel Brownell, from St Johnsville, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Sergeant Timothy Cleveland, from Morrisville, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Charlie Company (Medical), 427th Brigade Support Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Major Charles Schiralli, from Chittenango, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Charlie Company (Medical), 427th Brigade Support Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant Davic Deforest, from Manlius, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Echo Company (Forward Support Co., Infantry), 427th Brigade Support Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard 2nd Lieutenant Sean Harrigan, from Canastota, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters Company, 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Specialist Michael Lopedito, from Solvay, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters Company, 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Specialist Casey Ryan, from Deruyter, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters Company, 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Master Sergeant Michael Sirles, from Oneida, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Joint Force HQ – New York Exercise Support Group and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Specialist Amanda Bixby, from Canastota, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Private 1st Class Bret Bourdeau, from Waterville, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Specialist John Conklyn, from Deruyter, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class Paul Farr, from Canastota, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Joseph Hubbard, from Earlville, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Captain Brendan Lalor, from Chittenango, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Specialist Jeffrey Legg, from Chittenango, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Harry Lighthall, from Munnsville, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Captain Ryan Brountas, from Syracuse, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Sergeant Julia Davidson, from Bridgeport, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Major William Hofmann, from Manlius, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Major Marshall Hunt, from Manlius, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin Lewis, from Earlville, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Private Brad Olden, from Canastota, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Ponzer, from Chittenango, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Gordon Reynolds, from Syracuse, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Matthew Wilcox, from Oneida, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Neil Egerer, from Hamilton, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 427th Brigade Support Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Specialist Joshua Emm, from Bridgeport, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 427th Brigade Support Battalion and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Sergeant 1st Class Gary Freedman, from Chittenango, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Alpha Troop, 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition) and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
New York Army National Guard Private 1st Class Sean Murray, from Bridgeport, N.Y., completed training here as part of the Alpha Troop, 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition) and redeploys back home this week as the brigade task force completes the training exercise.
The Joint Readiness Training Center allows Army units to conduct combat training in a realistic environment which features a well-trained opposing force, civilian role-players on the battlefield, high-tech systems which monitor the action, and observer-controllers to evaluate unit actions.
All of the exercise participants and opposing force troops wore the Army’s Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) gear for the exercise.
The gear consists of a sensor-leaden harness worn by the Soldier and a halo of sensors attached to the Soldier’s helmet. In addition to sensors, every weapon system also includes a laser emitter.
When the Soldier fires a blank with their weapon, the laser fires a beam. If a target sensor receives a hit, then the Soldier is considered wounded or a vehicle disabled, requiring all of the combat response actions to provide first aid and evacuation.
The MILES gear enables infantrymen to conduct realistic combat training against a real enemy opponent and forces combat medics and logistics personnel to hone their skills by treating simulated battlefield injuries or evacuating damaged vehicles.
JRTC is one of the Army’s three combat training centers at which brigade-sized units can conduct realistic training against an opposing force. JRTC specializes in light infantry warfare and operations. For Soldiers, it is considered by Soldiers as the Super Bowl of Army training.
The redeployment for the thousands of Soldiers back to their home states is expected to be complete by August 5.