CAMP SHELBY, Miss. –
The Virginia National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 329th Regional Support Group, completed their annual training in August at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
“We had a phenomenal annual training at Camp Shelby,” said Col. Alyssa Y. Astphan, commander of the 329th RSG. “I was incredibly impressed by the individual and collective efforts of the Soldiers and leaders in our formation. We returned to Virginia more ready and resilient, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have strengthened our partnerships with the Mississippi National Guard and First Army.”
In addition to several individual and unit readiness events, the 329th Soldiers conducted a tabletop exercise and a scenario-based military decision making process exercise. The two staff planning events provided hands-on experience in mission analysis, course of action development, analysis, wargaming, comparison and conducting mission briefings.
“The MDMP and TTX exercises conducted during annual training in Mississippi were extremely effective in building staff proficiency and improving our ability to translate guidance into a coherent executable plan,” said Lt. Col. Kim Wynn, deputy commander of the 329th. “Both exercises strengthened staff proficiency, exposed gaps in our planning and synchronization and gave us an opportunity to adjust before execution. The training provided a realistic environment to build confidence, improve decision-making, and validate our ability to operate as an integrated staff.”
The unit’s personnel also completed the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric testing, an asset used by the U.S. Army to measure a Soldier’s memory, attention and reaction speed.
The 329th’s Soldiers also conducted other training including a combat life saving course, land navigation and Engagement Skills Trainer simulated weapons training. Individually, the Soldiers completed fitness tests and health assessments, tasks which allows the unit to increase training times and opportunities in the upcoming year, while improving individual Soldier readiness for potential missions.
Brig. Gen. Dennis M. Rohler and Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy M. Hawley, the Virginia Army National Guard command team, visited the 329th’s Soldiers during their stay at Camp Shelby, witnessing training and readiness events and thanking the Soldiers for their hard work.
Read more about the 329th here>>