Truck Drivers Learn to Defend Themselves Before Deploying

National Guard, Jun 2004 by Altom, David W

Kentucky

Some Kentucky Army National Guard truck drivers in Iraq are better able to delend their convoys thanks to some unique instruction they received before they mobilized.

It was part of a force-protection training project for combat support soldiers the Kentucky National Guard established late last year when the 2123rd Transportation Company was preparing to mobilize.

Retired Maj. Gen. D. Allen Youngman, Kentucky adjutant general during the unit's mobilization, championed the program.

"Usually all we do lor our combat service support soldiers is 40 rounds a year," he said. "[That's] barely enough to maintain basic mastery of the weapon and certainly not enough to fight."

And that was is point of the Kentucky progam, training those heading into harm's way how to fight, or at least how to elfectively fight back.

Trainers conducted the program in classic Army style: crawl, walk, run.

Crawling focused on weapons handling, safety, and then more safety.

The next training phase is live range firing in close-quarters combat mode. Soldiers then go to the Engagement Skills Trainer where shooters protect a virtual convoy from cyber-aggressors.

The iinal step is live tiring from a moving vehicle. Track crews make multiple runs, first slow, then at speeds up to 35 miles per hour. Everyone gets to shoot as well as drive while others are shooting.

"This training gives us the edge over the enemy," said Capt. Roger Metz, 2123rd commander. " Without it, our troops would be going to the battlefield without knowing how to light."

-By Staff Sgt. David W. Altom