Illinois National Guard opens new breach training range at Marseilles

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1st Lt. Calvin Young of Naperville observes Spc. Billy I. Jennings of Earlville, both from Company A, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Marseilles, as he places an explosive charge.

• Soldiers from Company A, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Marseilles train to conduct explosive breaching training at the new breach training range at Marseilles Training Center.

MARSEILLES, IL (04/24/2012)(readMedia)-- Story by U.S. Army Maj. Nathan A. Westby, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

MARSEILLES – Soldiers from Company A, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion (Co. A, 33rd BSTB) in Marseilles conducted explosive breaching operations at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles April 21 and 22.

The unit was the first to use the Illinois National Guard's new breaching complex, which will increase the readiness of units across the state.

The new complex is a key training asset to the engineers of Co. A, 33rd BSTB who specialize in breaching operations. The range will allow the unit to train on explosive door breaching, explosive wall breaching and mechanical door breaching operations in Illinois.

Prior to the range's construction, units in Illinois had to travel to other states to conduct this type of training. The new range allows units to greatly increase its proficiency in breaching operations much closer to home without time consuming and costly travel to facilities outside the state.

1st Lt. Calvin N. Young of Naperville, the second platoon leader for Co. A, 33rd BSTB welcomed the new training opportunities.

"This provides us the environment to get out and train when in the past we'd have to transport to a facility that would allow us to accomplish this type of mission," said Young. "We now have a platform to do this easily on a drill weekend."

Young said this allows his unit to advance its level of training.

"This range allows us to easily incorporate these tactics in our overall mission," said Young. "Breaching is just one component of what an engineer does. Having this range so close to the unit

makes it easier for us to integrate this task into our overall mission."

Sgt. 1st Class Harry V. Miller of Des Plaines, a platoon sergeant with Co. A, 33rd BSTB who has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan said the range allows them to increase their teamwork under live fire conditions.

"It increases the realism and intensity of training the breaching task and it's cost effective for the Illinois National Guard as it saves planning time and resources," said Miller.

The younger Soldiers of the unit were just as enthused about the new range.

"This is what we do, this is what we're experts at," said Cpl. Adrian T. Avelar of Sterling. "The fact that we now have a range right here makes it so much easier for us to train on what we do."

Warrant Officer Jonathon Deering of Midlothian, who was a member of the project team overseeing the construction of the range, said the range took several years to initiate, approve and construct and cost approximately $300,000 to complete. He said the engineers who have used the range said it is one of the better breaching ranges they have trained on.

Deering also stated that his office has received phone calls from several law enforcement agencies in the state that are interested in using the facility as well.

Photo captions:

U.S. Army photo by Maj. Nathan A. Westby, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs/ 1st Lt. Calvin Young of Naperville observes Spc. Billy I. Jennings of Earlville, both from Company A, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Marseilles, as he places an explosive charge during breaching operations training at the new breach training range at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles April 21 and 22.

U.S. Army photo by Maj. Nathan A. Westby 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs/ Soldiers from Company A, 33rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Marseilles train to conduct explosive breaching training at the new breach training range at Marseilles Training Center in Marseilles April 21 and 22.

For high resolution photos please contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs at ngilstaffpao@ng.army.mil.