An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN THE NEWS

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS | June 5, 2017

Joint Training Enhances Unit Readiness

By Sgt. Thomas Belton 362nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

The drill sergeants trained Navy individual augmentees in basic combat skills and serve as an essential part of Task Force Marshall’s mission. Their objectives are to train Ready and Available Joint Service Warriors to augment deploying unit’s missions.

“We are here under Task Force Marshall from the 108th Training Command, and part of their mission is to train Reserve component engineering duty officers who deploy with the army combat engineers,” said Ensign David Segala, an engineering duty officer from SURGEMAIN North London. “This training today is for the junior officers to get some additional pointers from the drill instructor unit. The NCO s here are excellent, and very knowledgeable about weapon systems we don’t use that often in the Navy Reserve. I want to bring more officers from my unit to training like this.”

The joint training environment provided the drill sergeants with a unique opportunity and gave the Navy officers valuable hands-on skills training with unfamiliar weapon platforms. Joint training is always beneficial for both services working together, and both teams value time working with crew-served weapons.

“The Navy officers sought us out looking for weapons training, because they don’t get this sort of training that often in the Navy,” said Army Maj. Stacey Carroll, Battalion Commander of the 1st Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment. “We’ve worked with the Navy Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape (S.E.R.E) school to provide water survival skills training for our drill sergeants, so we do a lot of beneficial interagency exercises.”

The drill sergeants emphasized core task training and serve as a force multiplier for units they attach to by being subject matter experts on Army Warrior Tasks and Drills. They take their unique skill set on the road, and train service members from allied partner nations to enhance global readiness for the War on Terror.

“Recently I was in Saudi Arabia, teaching people how to fire their version of the M240B, the RPK,” said Army Staff Sgt. Lee Gaudette, a senior drill instructor.

“Regardless of job in the military, every soldier should be able to get behind any weapon in the arsenal and execute. You never know when you’re going to be that soldier that needs to operate that weapon to potentially save your life or your fellow soldiers.”

Drill sergeants play an essential role in maintaining unit readiness and developing the force behind the fight. These elite trainers exemplify the Warrior Ethos, and serve as the living embodiment of the Army as a profession.