Fort Bliss Monitor

3-2 performs security training in support of overseas operation

1st Lt. Sabrina M. Smith
31st ADA Bde. Public Affairs

PHOTOS BY 1ST LT. SABRINA M. SMITH
An Echo, 3-2 Soldier, acting as an insurgent to train 3-2 Soldiers in how to respond to various threats, taunts a Bravo, 3-2 Soldier guarding the Entry Control Point on McGregor Range.

In August, the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery will deploy more than half of its unit to southwest Asia in support of a training exercise which numerous countries participate in every year.

The unit will be conducting cross-training as a security force, guarding entry control points and patrolling the perimeter of various sites, as well as responding to threats from insurgents and indirect fire attacks. This mission, in contrast to the exercise itself, is a real-world mission, put in place to protect the exercise from being hindered in any way by outside forces such as potential insurgents and terrorists.

“We were tasked directly from [U.S. Forces Command] for this because of OIF,” said Capt. Lisa Northup, 31st ADA Bde. S-3 shop. “[The] 3-2 will be performing [entry control point] guard, bus escorting, roving guard and LP/OP guards. Whatever extra tasks the III Corps wants us to do, we will accomplish to the best of our ability. It goes back to the real warrior tasks.”

The 3-2 will be providing security at several locations, to include two hotels and a couple of base camps, and have spent the past three months in preliminary training and preparation for deployment.

“They’ll really be spread out during this mission,” Northup said. “They aren’t taking any Patriot-specific equipment with them. It’s basically an opportunity to go back to the basics of being an Army Soldier.”
Soldiers have practiced searching vehicles and individuals, checking identification and dealing with possible threats from bystanders who may be insurgents, and are prepared to defend the security of their assigned sites with all due necessary force. In addition to this training, the Soldiers of 3-2 have spent numerous hours over the past month preparing their vehicles and equipment for transportation, conducting inspections and ensuring everything is in proper working order for the upcoming mission.

Second Lt. Jack Miller of Delta, 3-2, acting as an insurgent, hurls a road cone at the guards maintaining security of one of the ECPs set up on McGregor Range.

“I know I’m excited individually, as well as our battery is very excited, about going over and being able to put into play some of the training that we’ve been doing over the past several months. We’re doing a lot of training with IEDs, and for one interesting part of the mission, we’ve been training in how to protect a LP/OP and maintaining security around the perimeter. It’s definitely going to be a worthwhile experience,” said Sgt. Craig Reidhead of E Battery, 3-2 ADA Bn.

Spc. Jorge Jasso, also of E Btry., added, “I think it’s a really good idea because I’ve been deployed before to Iraq, and before I went there, I didn’t have any of this kind of training. So I feel that my unit will be prepared for anything that we’ll encounter over there in Egypt. I’m pretty excited about going over there and I feel confident about being able to do it. I love the opportunity they’re giving to the Soldiers to actually do what we call ‘Soldiering’.”

The 3-2 will spend several months performing their various missions and will return more highly trained than ever before. They will be ready and prepared to fight against an ever-changing enemy force that will constantly shift their tactics in order to throw off their opponents, but those tactics will be to no avail. The Soldiers and officers of 3-2 ADA Bn. are ready, willing, and more than eager to take on whatever this mission requires.

A Bravo, 3-2 Soldier guards an Entry Control Point during training conducted at McGregor Range.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	June 28, 2005

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	3-2 performs security training in support of overseas operation 1st Lt. Sabrina M. Smith 31st ADA Bde. Public Affairs PHOTOS BY 1ST LT. SABRINA M. SMITH An Echo, 3-2 Soldier, acting as an insurgent to train 3-2 Soldiers in how to respond to various threats, taunts a Bravo, 3-2 Soldier guarding the Entry Control Point on McGregor Range. In August, the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery will deploy more than half of its unit to southwest Asia in support of a training exercise which numerous countries participate in every year. The unit will be conducting cross-training as a security force, guarding entry control points and patrolling the perimeter of various sites, as well as responding to threats from insurgents and indirect fire attacks. This mission, in contrast to the exercise itself, is a real-world mission, put in place to protect the exercise from being hindered in any way by outside forces such as potential insurgents and terrorists. “We were tasked directly from [U.S. Forces Command] for this because of OIF,” said Capt. Lisa Northup, 31st ADA Bde. S-3 shop. “[The] 3-2 will be performing [entry control point] guard, bus escorting, roving guard and LP/OP guards. Whatever extra tasks the III Corps wants us to do, we will accomplish to the best of our ability. It goes back to the real warrior tasks.” The 3-2 will be providing security at several locations, to include two hotels and a couple of base camps, and have spent the past three months in preliminary training and preparation for deployment. “They’ll really be spread out during this mission,” Northup said. “They aren’t taking any Patriot-specific equipment with them. It’s basically an opportunity to go back to the basics of being an Army Soldier.” Soldiers have practiced searching vehicles and individuals, checking identification and dealing with possible threats from bystanders who may be insurgents, and are prepared to defend the security of their assigned sites with all due necessary force. In addition to this training, the Soldiers of 3-2 have spent numerous hours over the past month preparing their vehicles and equipment for transportation, conducting inspections and ensuring everything is in proper working order for the upcoming mission. Second Lt. Jack Miller of Delta, 3-2, acting as an insurgent, hurls a road cone at the guards maintaining security of one of the ECPs set up on McGregor Range. “I know I’m excited individually, as well as our battery is very excited, about going over and being able to put into play some of the training that we’ve been doing over the past several months. We’re doing a lot of training with IEDs, and for one interesting part of the mission, we’ve been training in how to protect a LP/OP and maintaining security around the perimeter. It’s definitely going to be a worthwhile experience,” said Sgt. Craig Reidhead of E Battery, 3-2 ADA Bn. Spc. Jorge Jasso, also of E Btry., added, “I think it’s a really good idea because I’ve been deployed before to Iraq, and before I went there, I didn’t have any of this kind of training. So I feel that my unit will be prepared for anything that we’ll encounter over there in Egypt. I’m pretty excited about going over there and I feel confident about being able to do it. I love the opportunity they’re giving to the Soldiers to actually do what we call ‘Soldiering’.” The 3-2 will spend several months performing their various missions and will return more highly trained than ever before. They will be ready and prepared to fight against an ever-changing enemy force that will constantly shift their tactics in order to throw off their opponents, but those tactics will be to no avail. The Soldiers and officers of 3-2 ADA Bn. are ready, willing, and more than eager to take on whatever this mission requires. A Bravo, 3-2 Soldier guards an Entry Control Point during training conducted at McGregor Range.