More than 100 soldiers from the Wyoming Army National Guard’s 115th Field Artillery Brigade concluded one month of pre-deployment training at Fort Bliss, Texas, before boots hit the ground in the Middle East.
The unit landed in Texas in late July and immediately started working towards finalizing training requirements, leading up to the culminating event that validated soldiers in their specific job functions.
Master Sgt. Durward Jones, the operation noncommissioned officer of the 115th said, “I found the Leaders Regional Advise and Assist Course to be the most vital part of our training. We were taught how to effectively utilize an interpreter, how to build and maintain rapport with other country leaders, and even a few phrases in Arabic.”
Select officers and senior enlisted soldiers spent five days in LRAAC where they focused on the importance of improving regional relationships and exchanging training techniques.
The brigade will deploy in support of Task Force Spartan Shield. This is the third deployment into the Arabic Gulf Region for the unit in the last 15 years.
While deployed the 115th soldiers will focus their efforts on empowering host nations through building combat power, mission readiness, and partnerships. Soldiers are looking forward to immersing themselves into the culture and learning the historical significance of the Gulf Region.