Fort Bliss Monitor

108th Soldiers train West Point cadets

Spc. Jason Stadel
108th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

For the past two months E Battery, 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and E Battery, 2-43 ADA, as well as a few Soldiers from other batteries, have been sharpening their basic Soldier skills such as land navigation, rifle marksmanship, basic bayonet skills, reconnaissance training and force on force training. The skills will be put to use this summer when these Soldiers travel to New York State to train West Point Cadets.

This exercise is equivalent to basic training for the Cadets, with each battery conducting one section of the entire operation, such as the M-16 Qualification Range, the Bayonet Assault Course, etc. Both batteries from 108th Brigade will be attached to units from the 101st Airborne Division.

The task of training the Cadets rotates between divisions of the XVIII Airborne Corps. Initially, this summer was the 10th Mountain Division’s turn for traveling to West Point, but most of the division is currently deployed. The 101st Airborne Division was then given the tasking.

Most of the 108th Soldiers who are deploying said this is a good opportunity for them and their units. They also understand how important their job is going to be.

“This is their (Cadets) basic training. This is where their Army Values are met,” said Cpl. Chad Phillips, E Battery 2-43. “West Point has high standards. We need to maintain the high standards and accomplish the mission.”
Staff Sgt. Stann Quinn, HHB, 2-43, is the NCOIC for the land navigation portion of the training. He has been working with 12 Soldiers on honing their skills so they can be the best instructors for the Cadets. During the past two months, the Soldiers were evaluated on their skills by the battalion leadership; Quinn said they passed all the evaluations with flying colors.

“We’ve all done this before (land navigation), but sometimes we forget things over time,” he said. “This has been a great refresher course for the Soldiers. I think we’re ready to go.”

Along with being knowledgeable of basic Soldier skills, professionalism was also stressed. “We’ve been preaching the standards, and most of these Soldiers have met them,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Allen, E Battery 2-43. “A lot of them went out and bought new uniforms. We didn’t ask them to, they just did it on their own.”
“We’re under a watchful eye. We need to look good and act right to represent Fort Bliss,” said Spc. Jackalyne Andrews, a medic with Echo, 1-7.

“There’s been a lot of prep and a lot of training for this exercise,” 1st Sgt. Paris Williams, E Battery 1-7 said. “We’re ready and we’ve got the best Soldiers going (to West Point).”

Medics have also been training for the tasking. They won’t be there to train Cadets, but to provide medical support for the 108th Soldiers and the Cadets. And as with everyone else, the medics will get important field training. “It will be good to get some hands-on training,” Andrews said. “But we’re going to have a big responsibility as well.”
The duration of the tasking is almost three months, and the batteries are treating it like a deployment, which means the Soldiers will be leaving families behind. “It’s going to be really hard,” Andrews said. She will miss her first anniversary, “but it something we’ve got to do. These are the things we deal with in the Army,” she said.
But some Soldiers said West Point will be a nice change of scenery, “It should be fun,” Spc. Kyle Paradise, E 1-7, said, “and hopefully it’s a little cooler.”

E Btry, 1-7 has already departed for West Point. The main body of E Btry., 2-43 leaves Tuesday.



www.bliss.army.mil		Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	May 27, 2004

<MAP NAME="boxmap-p11"><AREA SHAPE="RECT" COORDS="13, 588, 102, 600" HREF="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > </MAP>	108th Soldiers train West Point cadets Spc. Jason Stadel 108th ADA Bde. Public Affairs For the past two months E Battery, 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and E Battery, 2-43 ADA, as well as a few Soldiers from other batteries, have been sharpening their basic Soldier skills such as land navigation, rifle marksmanship, basic bayonet skills, reconnaissance training and force on force training. The skills will be put to use this summer when these Soldiers travel to New York State to train West Point Cadets. This exercise is equivalent to basic training for the Cadets, with each battery conducting one section of the entire operation, such as the M-16 Qualification Range, the Bayonet Assault Course, etc. Both batteries from 108th Brigade will be attached to units from the 101st Airborne Division. The task of training the Cadets rotates between divisions of the XVIII Airborne Corps. Initially, this summer was the 10th Mountain Division’s turn for traveling to West Point, but most of the division is currently deployed. The 101st Airborne Division was then given the tasking. Most of the 108th Soldiers who are deploying said this is a good opportunity for them and their units. They also understand how important their job is going to be. “This is their (Cadets) basic training. This is where their Army Values are met,” said Cpl. Chad Phillips, E Battery 2-43. “West Point has high standards. We need to maintain the high standards and accomplish the mission.” Staff Sgt. Stann Quinn, HHB, 2-43, is the NCOIC for the land navigation portion of the training. He has been working with 12 Soldiers on honing their skills so they can be the best instructors for the Cadets. During the past two months, the Soldiers were evaluated on their skills by the battalion leadership; Quinn said they passed all the evaluations with flying colors. “We’ve all done this before (land navigation), but sometimes we forget things over time,” he said. “This has been a great refresher course for the Soldiers. I think we’re ready to go.” Along with being knowledgeable of basic Soldier skills, professionalism was also stressed. “We’ve been preaching the standards, and most of these Soldiers have met them,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Allen, E Battery 2-43. “A lot of them went out and bought new uniforms. We didn’t ask them to, they just did it on their own.” “We’re under a watchful eye. We need to look good and act right to represent Fort Bliss,” said Spc. Jackalyne Andrews, a medic with Echo, 1-7. “There’s been a lot of prep and a lot of training for this exercise,” 1st Sgt. Paris Williams, E Battery 1-7 said. “We’re ready and we’ve got the best Soldiers going (to West Point).” Medics have also been training for the tasking. They won’t be there to train Cadets, but to provide medical support for the 108th Soldiers and the Cadets. And as with everyone else, the medics will get important field training. “It will be good to get some hands-on training,” Andrews said. “But we’re going to have a big responsibility as well.” The duration of the tasking is almost three months, and the batteries are treating it like a deployment, which means the Soldiers will be leaving families behind. “It’s going to be really hard,” Andrews said. She will miss her first anniversary, “but it something we’ve got to do. These are the things we deal with in the Army,” she said. But some Soldiers said West Point will be a nice change of scenery, “It should be fun,” Spc. Kyle Paradise, E 1-7, said, “and hopefully it’s a little cooler.” E Btry, 1-7 has already departed for West Point. The main body of E Btry., 2-43 leaves Tuesday.