Alaska Army National Guard regiment gears up for fall deployment to Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Army Staff Sgt. Karima Turner
  • Alaska National Guard Public Affairs
CAMP DENALI --  Alaska Army National Guardsmen from B Company, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) recently gathered Soldiers here from across Alaska for three weeks of training and validation for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.

The consolidation was in preparation for a year-long deployment where the Soldiers of the 1-143rd will provide security operations for provincial reconstruction teams. The PRT operates in potentially dangerous areas to rebuild infrastructure, assist with agriculture, build wells and provide healthcare.

"Our number one goal of this training was making sure the Soldiers were current with their medical and dental requirements," said Army Capt. Jason Caldwell, B/1-143rd commander. "Probably the next most important goal was the 100-percent validation of our Soldiers on driving - they had to learn how to operate and receive certification to drive the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle and Humvee. These two requirements are critical to building our baseline from here on forward."

For many of the 117 Soldiers participating in the pre-deployment validation and training, the deployment to Afghanistan scheduled for this fall will be their first.

"The instructors grading us on the tasks we had to complete were very knowledgeable and shared their deployment experiences with us so we could learn from that as well," said Pfc. James Karels, B/1-143rd, machine gunner. "It really helped to put our upcoming deployment into perspective, especially for us lower enlisted Soldiers and those who haven't deployed before."

Working 16-hour days, the Soldiers were diligent to complete all their necessary training.
"The instructors threw a lot of twists into the training and made it really exciting for everybody, and everyone had a lot of fun with it," Karels said. "They kept us really busy and we had some long days, but it was worth it. They kept telling us that 'knowledge is power.

"So, obviously, the more we know, the better we'll be. Even though we might not use all the tactics they are teaching us, the more we know, the more prepared we'll be, and we'll be able to put into play what works best for us."

In addition to the main goals of medical, dental and driving validation, the Soldiers were also certified on warrior training tasks ranging from combat lifesaving techniques to donning personal protective gear, as well as reacting to near and far ambushes and improvised explosive devices.

"At first it was a rocky start, but once we got the ball rolling, the Soldiers stepped up and did what they had to do to have a successful training," said Army 1st Lt. Ronald Snyder, B/1-143rd executive officer. "It was really important that they had these training opportunities because everything they learn here will help them on the battlefield."

"The Soldiers did outstanding, and so far, we've accomplished all of our goals," Caldwell said. "We've been very successful. We've validated all of our battle drills and warrior training tasks. I think they're feeling like they've come together as a close, tight-knit unit, and they're walking away feeling a lot of pride about being a part of B Company."