Hometown Military News for Aug. 1, 2015:

Civilians get a glimpse of the life of a soldier

MARSEILLES – Members of Illinois Joining Forces and Illinois communities participated in “Military Immersion” training, July 17 at Marseilles Training Center.

The participants stayed overnight at a MTC and experienced military life, interacted with service members and learned about the military. They were also shown military equipment, military vehicles and given new insight into how to best help and support service members, veterans, and their families.

“We wanted to give the civilians a chance to actually stay in military barracks and get to do the training that Soldiers go through,” said Lt. Col. Maurice Rochelle of Chatham with Joint Force Headquarters based in Springfield with the Illinois National Guard. “Normally training events only allow for observing, but with this one we wanted to give our participants a chance to ‘walk in a Soldiers boots’ for the day.”

Twenty-seven civilians in professions ranging from lawyers to health care providers along with Kenneth Barber, Executive Director of Illinois Joining Forces, Erica Jeffries, Director of Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and Ron Bacci, Chair of Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve participated in the two day event.

“This is the second year we have had a successful event, and it looks like it will continue,” said Rochelle.

Brandon Woodenburg, a student at SIU School of Law and volunteer at the SIU veterans’ rural pro bono initiative, a first timer for immersion training said he respects veterans even more than he did before because of what he experienced on this trip.

“This visit was very insightful and I was able to get a point of view that a civilian wouldn’t normally get to see,” said Woodenburg. “It was exciting to see a small fraction of what a veteran or active member goes through on a frequent basis.”

Woodenburg said he came on this trip hoping to get more insight on veterans and their lifestyle in order to help them more as a volunteer.

Woodenburg said his favorite part of the trip was being in the platoons, doing cadences and marching.

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Nickels of Montgomery, a training assistant for the Illinois Pre Mobilization Training Assistance Element took the civilians through an IED training lane and taught them how to use the decision making process to navigate past obstacles they encountered.

“This training exposes the general population to the complexity of the jobs in the Army,” said Nickels. “We want to show the capabilities of our Soldiers to civilians that can make them more marketable for employment purposes.”

Nickels said the feedback from the civilians throughout the training was positive.

“This was a great opportunity for us to show them what we do instead of just telling them what we do,” said Nickels. “This is a great event and hopefully we can expand this in the years to come.”

Land Component Command Sgt. Maj. visits medical battalion at Fort McCoy

SPARTA, Wisc. – Illinois Army National Guard Land Component Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Bowman, of Plainfield, Illinois, visited with Soldiers from the Illinois Army National Guard’s 108th Medical Battalion during the unit’s annual training at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin July 15.

Bowman first visited with Soldiers of the 709th and 710th Area Support Medical Companies (ASMC) during their International Trauma Life Support Course (ITLS) at Fort McCoy’s Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC).

The MSTC offers Soldiers complete medical training, from basic combat lifesaver certifications to advanced trauma and hospital operations. The MSTC is fully equipped with classrooms and full-immersion hands-on training rooms that allow Solders to test their skills on fully functioning mannequins that breathe, writhe in pain, and even bleed.

Command Sgt. Maj. William Brown of Mahomet, command sergeant major for the 108th Medical Battalion, said that the main focus for this year’s annual training was a 96-hour culminating training exercise (CTE) that placed the 709th and the 710th AMSCs in the field for two 48-hour rotations. First Army was also a part of the CTE, providing oversight and recommendations for the 709th AMSC. Brown said that First Army was impressed with the training, and that his Soldiers were very motivated.

“We’ve trained for this all year,” said Brown. “Morale and motivation is high, but CSM Bowman’s visit is an absolute morale boost. These Soldiers relish the opportunity to show off their skills, especially to the state staff.”

After the MSTC, Bowman visited with Soldiers from the 108th Med. who were on the M16A2 zero and qualification ranges. Bowman spoke with several Solders before they departed for the firing line, stressing the importance of basic Soldiering, to include marksmanship.

Bowman said that visiting troops in the field is an important task for leaders and that being out there shows that you care about what the Soldiers are doing. He added that it is an example of “leading from the front.”

“Visiting Soldiers in the field during training or ‘down range’ during deployment is the best time to get their opinions on issues that matter to them,” Bowman said. “Leaders have to be where their units are during the important periods where the work is getting done.”

After departing the ranges, Bowman visited the 709th ASMC’s field hospital and spoke to the Soldiers about their capabilities and training.

“These Soldiers out here train to do their jobs efficiently and without thought,” said Bowman. “They can pull in with their vehicles and have a complete hospital up in running in a few hours. Our medical Soldiers love a challenge and relevant training, in and out of uniform. Capt. Jamie Gillette is an example of that.”

Capt. Jamie Gillette, of Kingman, Arizona, originally of Auburn, Illinois, was flying to Chicago from Las Vegas to attend annual training when there was a commotion on the flight. Gillette said that two rows behind her a young woman was unconscious.

“I was watching the in-flight entertainment when I heard the flight attendants yelling for a doctor,” said Gillette. “I got out of my seat and explained that I was an emergency room nurse and a physician’s assistant in the National Guard. I assessed the patient, took her vitals, and gave her a quick exam. She was a healthy 16-year old female that hadn’t had anything to eat before the flight. I reassured the flight crew and the girl’s mother that she would be ok, and the flight didn’t need to be diverted.”

Once on the ground in Chicago, the girl and her mother were met by emergency medical staff and evaluated further. Overall, Gillette said the ordeal was nothing serious.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” said Gillette. “But I did get to talk on the ‘secret squirrel batphone’ to the pilot, so that was a highlight.”

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