Annual Training for the National Guard. What are some of your favorite memories?

2014-07-02T12:17:33-04:00

In two weeks I will be heading to lovely Fort Hood for yet another Annual Training. I caveat that by saying this will only be my third traditional annual training since 2002 due to OPTEMPO. I wonder what might happen.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2014 4:14 PM

2014-07-02T16:14:20-04:00

I like the fort hood area dunno if you could get out and see stuff.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2014 4:24 PM

2014-07-02T16:24:14-04:00

This year while I was briefing my scheme of maneuver to the Battalion Commander a wall of rain came through and turned the sand table into a mud table. Shortly there after I went into my Bradley and sat there, soaked.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2014 11:00 AM

2014-07-27T11:00:22-04:00

Annual Training is going strong with 4 days left in the field. It has been hot and humid, but Soldier morale is high and the training has been great. Now.... if I could just find the thermostat.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 1:47 PM

2014-07-28T13:47:55-04:00

Last AT I went on I had Soldiers misplacing radios left and right...they all eventually made their way back to me. Instead of just giving them back I started passing out statement of charges for them. Little did they know the NSN was for a canteen cover so I was "charging" them for $1,500 canteen covers but the Soldiers started getting the point. I even made a MSG cry lol.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 28 at 2014 9:07 PM

2014-07-28T21:07:12-04:00

Operation Joint Patriot better known by those who participated as Operation Joint Charlie Foxtrot. Last time the state did an actual all units AT prior to 9/11 up at Cp Edwards MA. We got to play OPFOR - bunch of wackos demonstrating outside an army base. Our S1 was carrying around a GP medium tent stake hammer as a war club. It went downhill from there.

Response by COL Randall C. made Jul 28 at 2014 9:46 PM

2014-07-28T21:46:39-04:00

Prior to coming on active duty, I was with the PAARNG in the late 80's. This was back in the 'dealmaking days'. We were having an external ARTEP with an active duty unit out of Hood and I talked to an aviation unit that was looking for missions to get flight time.

Ended up having (for all intents) my own helicopter as a 2LT, and flew all over the AO being my own scout (I was the asst S2) as well as using it to land HK teams behind lines.

What was most memorable was the time the pilot told me we were taking simulated attacks by the Bradleys on the ground and asked me what we should do. After saying, "just do what you would normally do", I had to hang on my life as he implemented evasive maneuvers.

I've never met a roller coaster that measured up since.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2014 2:47 PM

2014-08-05T14:47:09-04:00

Another summer... Another AT in Fort Hood complete.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2014 5:09 PM

2014-08-19T17:09:26-04:00

JOTC (Jungle Operations Training Center) in Panama. Very tough one to get. It was a real honor to go through a school that was typically reserved for 101st, 10th mountain, 82nd, etc. I went as a Company Commander in 1993 with 41st Brigade out of Oregon. We had to get our AT extended to three weeks. It was the best training I had ever been part of other than the National Training Center at FT. Irwin.

Response by LTC Christopher Sands made Jun 25 at 2015 8:59 PM

2015-06-25T20:59:50-04:00

I was the S-3 (Air) for a Div Cavalry Squadron. As we finished up our AT at Ft. Drum we did a Combined Arms Live Fire exercise (CALFEX). Our Ground Troops had a Scout Section start down range, passing checkpoints and phase lines. When the tracks moved, the scout track would move, under cover of an ITV track. Some OPFOR infantry targets popped up. They dismounted some Scouts, who took them under fire, as well as the .50 Cals on the tracks. They would pop up a BMP target and have a missile or call for fire on it. Then a few tanks would pop up. The Scouts would pop smole, and fall back, as the tank section moved up to cover them. As the Scout ITV and tracks moved back the Squadron Mortars would be dropping rounds. Then a company sized element of enemy tank targets would pop up. As the tanks popped smoke and pulled back, covered by the ITV's, the Air Troops Attack Helicopters would come in on a gun run!
Yes National Guard on a two week AT doing combined Air-Ground live fire operations!
One AT the LT at the Mortar point was an imbecile, unfortunately bad Soldiers are everywhere. I told the brand new Squadron Commander I had had a Mortar Platoon on active duty, he got me down there fast. The poor mortarmen who was running the plotting board was a cook who was trying to reclass. I asked him if he knew pivotpoint. He said yes! The range tower was calling, asking us if we were going to shoot. The cook-mortarman cleaned up his plotting board, did a perfect pivotpoint, and away we went! Rounds were flying! The S3-SGM was cutting charges, the Medic was cutting and dropping, I even drooped two. That was always a fun range.

SHOW'EM THE WAY!!!

Response by LTC Christopher Sands made Jun 25 at 2015 9:01 PM

2015-06-25T21:01:03-04:00

The other thing that was fun was going into A Bay in Canada when we were at Drum

Response by SPC William Weedman made Jan 27 at 2019 8:49 PM

2019-01-27T20:49:14-05:00

Two stand out for hilarity. First a new mustang LT read the wrong part of the manual on familiarization fire for the .50 and ordered enough ammo for the whole battalion to qualify. It is nearly impossible to get the ammo point to take back live rounds, so the range guys got sick of firing and as us (the medics) to assist. I got a crash course in barrel changing and also got to fire the Ma Deuce. I hear the Geneva Convention frowns on medics using crew served weapons. Second was an AT where we were “medical support” so we “weren’t issued” our rifles or protective masks...until the last night when all the SNCOs & officers were “killed” on a traffic accident on the way to the daily briefing. That left a young 2LT & an old SSG in charge, as the OPFOR made their final push. Magically the medics cane up with weapons, and my 6-24x scope with M-16 mounts (a gift from my Dad when we thought I was headed to Desert Shield/Storm) came in handy. Very accurate fire from the CP from a medic who shot expert anyway. Every shot I took registered on someone’s MILES gear.