CAMP DODGE, Iowa –
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Danville-based 429th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted annual training June 16-28, 2024, at the Army National Guard Sustainment Training Center at Camp Dodge, Iowa.
Soldiers from Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies all participated in the training, which provided a valuable experience for the units.
“The training I observed was an excellent opportunity for our sustainment Soldiers to focus on the foundations of their functional skills,” said Lt. Col. Jason Detwiler, commander of the 429th BSB. “In my conversations with our BSB Soldiers, it was abundantly clear they had gained a high degree of confidence in their skill and were excited to take on additional challenges.”
STC provides collective technical and tactical sustainment training and evaluations for units supporting unified land operations. Cadre shadowed 429th Soldiers throughout the day, providing guidance and advice as they received and performed their missions.
Alpha Company serves as a distribution company and includes a transportation platoon, a water and fuel platoon, and a platoon capable of manning supply support activities and conducting ammunition transfer and holding point operations.
“The Soldiers of Alpha Company were able to focus more on training their MOS during annual training, especially the 92As, who were able to work in a real live SSA which is not typical for them to do back in Virginia,” said Capt. William Dillingham, Alpha Company commander. “They were receiving and distributing classes of supply as well as setting up LOGPACs [logistics package] for our transportation platoon and a forward support company from Rhode Island to pick up and deliver for their missions.”
“Everyone was very happy with the overall experience of being able to conduct their two-week annual training outside of Virginia,” Dillingham said. “Some Soldiers were used to going to Fort Barfoot every year for most of their career.”
Bravo Company is a maintenance company and includes an automotive section, armament section, electronics section, ground services, maintenance recovery and maintenance control.
“Coming here allows us to actually get real-world, hands-on experience for all the Soldiers to do their real jobs,” explained Capt. Adam Bondurant, Bravo Company commander. “Usually when we go to Fort Barfoot, everyone has seen the plan and we know what’s going to happen. Here FRAGOS come out every day at 0630 and we have to decipher it and go from there.”
Charlie Company, also known as Charlie Med, is a medical company comprised of a variety of medical specialists.
‘’The Soldiers really enjoyed conducting their annual training at a location different from Fort Barfoot,” said Capt. Wilfred A. Hale, commander of Charlie Company. “It was well worth the trip to Iowa to receive hands-on medical training from a staff of subject matter experts.”
Not only did Charlie Med personnel set up and establish medical treatment sites, where they could treat a variety of medical and dental injuries, combat medics within the unit had the opportunity to recertify on their skills while they were there. They are required to recertify as a combat medic once every two years in order to retain their 68W military occupational specialty. Meanwhile, dental technicians from Charlie Company provided dental exams to fellow 429th Soldiers.
A number of the Soldiers are fairly new to Charlie Med and unsure how their MOS fits into the overall layout of a Role 2 Medical Company, according to 1st Sgt. Alton Sturdifen. In addition, some Soldiers don’t typically get the opportunity to train at such a high level.
However, the STC experience provided the Soldiers that training environment.
“We knew that it was going to be challenging training, but our Soldiers were highly engaged and were open to learn from each cadre member,” Sturdifen said. “The STC Staff mentioned that the Soldiers in Charlie Company have a lot of knowledge based on their civilian careers and they initially thought that it would be a challenge to training them. In the end, they said that Charlie Company was one of the best units that they have hosted since they started.”
In addition to their Soldiers, Virginia Guard leaders praised the expertise and professionalism of the STC cadre.
“The Sustainment Training Center team did an outstanding job providing realistic training,” Detwiler said. “They were very deliberate in taking the time necessary to make immediate corrections where needed and conduct detailed After Action Reviews to ensure lessons learned were captured to be implemented in future training rotations. I’m extremely thankful the BSB was able to gain the resources needed to conduct this critical training.”
“It was a well-run program by the medical STC staff,” Hale said. “They were all subject matter experts in their respective fields and were willing to answer questions and give great guidance.”
STC provided not only valuable training, but its staff also provided leaders with critical insight into what their units need.
“Going back to home station for drills and annual training next year, now we know what we need to focus on,” Bondurant said. “It helps me because when we go to make our yearly training schedule, you make it based on what you think your unit needs. After coming here, I have a much clearer picture of what we need to train on to perform our mission successfully.”
“The CSM and I are eagerly looking forward to watching our Soldiers and leaders apply what they learned at STC during our eXportable Combat Training Capabilities event at Fort Barfoot in summer of 2025,” Detwiler said.
“We had the opportunity to be externally evaluated by the experienced STC staff which was a great way to see where we are at as a unit,” Dillingham said. “From the feedback from STC, as well as leadership observations of how everyone performed, Alpha Company is ready to move onto the next step of XCTC next summer.”
“Overall, Charlie Company come away with a multitude of knowledge that will benefit us in IDT weekends, annual trainings and future operations,” Hale explained.