NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, FORT IRWIN, CALIF. (10/11/2011)(readMedia)-- Nearly 2,900 National Guard Soldiers began their training here in the "box" of the National Training Center, taking on enemy forces, partnering with role-playing security forces and conducting complex live fire exercises. The troops are deployed here for a month-long annual training exercise as Soldiers of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team prepare for a deployment to Afghanistan.

The NTC rotation includes more than 2,000 members of the New York Army National Guard and an additional 650 Soldiers from the South Carolina Army National Guard.

The 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which is headquartered in Syracuse and has elements across New York, is joined by infantrymen from the South Carolina Army National Guard's 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry.

The Soldiers will train at Fort Irwin as part of the unit's preparations for mobilization and deployment to Afghanistan in early 2012. About 1,500 of the New York Soldiers are currently scheduled to deploy along with the 4-118th Infantry from South Carolina. The other Soldiers will support their training.

Troops will immerse themselves in an environment that replicates Afghanistan, with security forces to partner, civilians and villages across the battlefield and a contemporary opposing force. The brigade will be accompanied by U.S. Army controller-trainers who will observe, assist and support the training of the Soldiers.

The Soldiers participating in the training come from armories across western New York, the Hudson Valley, the Utica area, and Long Island and New York City.

A small contingent providing support to the training units comes from the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters in Troy and National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Latham.

The training, conducted at the NTC through late October, will provide Soldiers from the brigade, along with the battalion from South Carolina, with a realistic, demanding training environment. The exercise will stress leaders, Soldiers and staffs in a simulated combat environment.

The NTC trains units by conducting force-on-force and live-fire training across the spectrum of conflict, using a live-virtual-constructive training model. The National Guard Soldiers will confront a highly lethal and capable Opposing Force and the entire exercise will be controlled by an expert and experienced Operations Group.

The NTC maneuver area has multiple urban operations sites and portrays the complexity and human dimension of the modern battlefield.

Posted Tuesday October 11, 2011 at 10:52 pm by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs
Last Updated Friday October 14, 2011 at 07:54 am