News from New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

For more information contact: Lt. Col. Carlton Cleveland 518-944-5011 or Lt. Col. Eric Durr, 518-786-4581

National Guard Engineers Conduct Combat Training at Fort Drum

MEDIA ADVISORY

FORT DRUM, NY (07/15/2008; 1022)(readMedia)-- The New York Army National Guard's 204^th Engineer Battalion, based in Binghamton, New York conducts annual training at Fort Drum to prepare its Soldiers for both the demands of a combat deployment or the challenges of engineering projects.

WHO: Approximately 375 members of the New York Army National Guard's 204^th Engineer Battalion based in Binghamton, with subordinate companies from across New York's Hudson Valley, Southern Tier and Western New York.

WHAT: The engineers will conduct small arms weapons qualification, convoy live fire training, construction training, communications and command and control operations during the unit annual training at Fort Drum. Subordinate elements will rotate through the training environment as the battalion headquarters supervises their training and support to local community construction projects in Wheatfield, Deposit and Binghamton later this month.

WHEN: Soldiers will be training at Fort Drum from July 13 through August 1^st.

WHERE: Training area 15C and Convoy Range 23, Fort Drum, N.Y.

BACKGROUND:

Approximately 375 Soldiers from the Engineer Battalion will perform their annual training this month, splitting their time between Fort Drum for combat training and their local communities, supporting engineering projects to improve the Soldiers' fundamental engineering skills.

Convoy life fire training is an integral part of preparing Soldiers for combat movements overseas. The unit will integrate a wide variety of weaponry and different scenarios into the training exercise on the live-fire range. Soldiers will be given an opportunity to use live ammunition on the convoy route. All common small arms and the 249 Squad Automatic Weapons are used for the convoy training.

The battalion includes the battalion headquarters, forward support company and quarry detachment in Binghamton, the 1156^th Engineer Company from Kingston and Peekskill, the 152^nd Engineer Company from Buffalo and the 827^th Engineer Company from Horseheads and Walton, N.Y.

Coverage Opportunities:

Members of the media will be able to travel to Fort Drum and interview Soldiers of battalion's 1156^th Engineer Company from the Hudson Valley and Binghamton based Quarry Detachment conduct convoy live fire on Fort Drum from July 15-17^th.

The remaining Soldiers from the Binghamton area will be present as part of the annual training command and control element and will conduct their own convoy training later in the month from July 22-25. Western New York engineers from the 152^nd Engineer Company will conduct their training from July 26-29.

To arrange for access to the secure military installation and visits with the 204^th Engineer Battalion during their annual training, coordinate with Lt. Col. Eric Durr at the Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA) Public Affairs Office at 518-786-4581 or eric.durr@us.army.mil.

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