Peoria Army National Guard Soldiers Hone Skills at Camp Ripley

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CAMP RIPLEY, MINN. (07/21/2012)(readMedia)-- Three weeks of training to prepare for future mobilization opportunities. That is what Soldiers with Urbana-based 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) are enduring at Camp Ripley, Minn., in July. The brigade encompasses 30 units and approximately 3,400 Soldiers from all over Illinois, including Company A (Co. A) , 178th Infantry Regiment in Bartonville.

"It's motivational training," said Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Enriquez of Peoria with Co. A. "We are training at a high tempo and our non commissioned officers are leading the way."

Enriquez was part of the historic deployment of the 33rd IBCT in 2008, when nearly 3,000 Soldiers deployed to Afghanistan. It was the largest deployment of Illinois Army National Guard troops since World War II. The brigade was one of the first units in the country to participate in eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) in 2008. XCTC is realistic training preparing Soldiers for real life scenarios on the battlefield.

"The training is more realistic than 2008," said Enriquez. "The training is well prepared and Soldiers are learning every day."

Staff Sgt. Dan Butte of Peoria was also part of the 2008 deployment and said the lessons they learned in Afghanistan are also having an effect on how they train.

"We have a better idea of what we're doing," Butte said. "We see something is broken; we know how it should be and we know how to fix it."

Butte said it's nice to see young Soldiers mature during the training and step up into unfamiliar roles.

"We are seeing Soldiers without experience coming around," Butte said. "Our guys know their jobs and this is how we find out who the future leaders are. We (senior leaders) aren't always going to be there, so they have to know what to do."

Many of the 33rd IBCT Soldiers that deployed in 2008-2009 are no longer with the same unit. Spc. Kyle Green of Peoria enlisted 3 ½ years ago. He didn't deploy with the brigade, but mobilization was one of the reasons he enlisted. Green said he is learning how difficult it can be to step up into unfamiliar roles of responsibility.

"You have to make sure you're squared away," Green said. "When times get tough, true leaders step up."

Green said it's the cultural awareness of Afghanistan that he has benefitted most from.

"We've talked to some interpreters and learned a lot about the Afghan culture including customs, interaction with females and things you can't do."

Enriquez said his battle buddies have kept him motivated.

"It's the guys that drive me," Enriquez said. "In the civilian sector you just clock in and out. Here, I feel like I am just hanging out with the guys."

Green said the camaraderie of the unit has helped them endure the hot, wet conditions during the training.

"When the times get rough, we seem to come together as a company," Green said. "We find ways to bring up the morale. We find ways to make each other laugh. It brings us closer together."

Butte said the tough training is good for the Soldiers and teaches them how to react in battle.

"We don't just simulate, we do it," Butte said. "If there is a gunshot wound, we pull out the first aid kit and actually do it. We train with a high level of realism. We train as we fight and we fight the way we've trained."

Of the 78 Soldiers from Co. A, 178th Infantry, 20 Soldiers are from Peoria. Several other Soldiers are from East Peoria, Bartonville, Chillicothe and other surrounding towns. The Bartonville-based unit, which is the only infantry unit in Central Illinois, will continue to train at Camp Ripley for another week before coming home at the end of the month.

Photo 1: Photo courtesy of Spc. Kyle Green / Spc. Kyle Green of Peoria scans the area for enemy targets during an exercise at Camp Ripley, Minn. Green is one of 20 Soldiers from Peoria that are part of Company A, 178th Infantry Regiment participating in a three-week training exercise preparing Soldiers for future mobilization opportunities.

Photo 2: Photo courtesy of Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Enriquez/ Spc. Kyle Green of Peoria (left) and Spc. Travis McGlasson of Sparland (right), both with Company A, 178th Infantry Regiment, cover their sector during a night fire exercise at Camp Ripley, Minn. More than 4,000 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers are engaged in the three-week exercise as they prepare for future mobilization opportunities. About 3,400 of those Soldiers are with the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in Urbana.

Photo 3: Photo courtesy of Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Enriquez/ Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Enriquez of Peoria is one of 20 Peoria Soldiers with Company A, 178th Infantry Regiment based in Bartonville participating in a three-week training exercise at Camp Ripley, Minn. The realistic training environment prepares Soldiers for real world scenarios they may encounter while deployed.

Photo 4: Photo courtesy of Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Enriquez/ Cadet Mitchell Langan of Peoria calls up a situation report as Sgt. 1st Class Willard Erickson Jr. of Canton tends to his wounded platoon leader, 1st Lt. Paul McConkey of Bloomington, during a training exercise at Camp Ripley, Minn., July 19. All three Soldiers are members of Company A, 178th Infantry Regiment in Bartonville. The unit is among 30 units with the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in Urbana training for future deployments.

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

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