All together now: 32nd Brigade assembles for annual training

By Staff Sgt. Andy Poquette

Wisconsin Army National Guard

For the first time in nearly eight years, the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) is conducting annual training as a whole brigade this month at Fort McCoy.

The 32nd, which includes units ranging from engineers and infantry to military intelligence and medics, has deployed in part or in total to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom between 2005 and 2010. Some of those deployments have required Soldiers to perform missions other than what they normally train for, such as convoy escort, base security or detainee operations.

"We haven't been able to be together as an entire brigade since 2003," said Col. Martin D. Seifer, 32nd IBCT commander. "When I took command, I promised we would do our mission, and we are training to function as an IBCT that performs full spectrum operations. We plan for the most difficult mission, and adjust as necessary."

Seifer, who took command of the Red Arrow Brigade in July of 2010, stressed that with the brigade coming home from a long deployment and several changes in personnel across the nearly 3,200-Soldier-strong brigade, training together as a brigade was an important step.

"It means a lot to an individual Soldier because you raise your hand and take an oath to fulfill a specific job," Seifer explained. "Infantry wants to be infantry, engineers want to be engineers. It's a great feeling to be able to do what you signed up to do."

Pfc. Tonlithed Vang, a signal systems support specialist with Company C, Brigade Special Troops Battalion (BSTB), agreed.

"This is my second annual training," said Vang, "but this is the first time I've been able to do my job. I'm cross-training with other positions and learning new equipment. It makes me more confident in my mission."

Master Sgt. James S. Fowler, also of Company C, BSTB, explained the difficulty of training on the BSTB's unique equipment.

"You can't set up this equipment on a drill weekend," Fowler said. "There simply isn't enough space. Out here we can set up our satellite trailers and our line-of-sight systems. Every system we employ requires a mix of jobs to be able to properly set up. This is the first time we've been able to do so."

Fowler, a recent transfer from the Nevada National Guard, has served in the Army National Guard for 19 years and said that he has seen the shift in the past few years to a more focused, Soldier-caring leadership plan.

"The leadership of the Guard since 2001 has become more administrative, more focused on planning," Fowler said. "It seems like they are asking, 'What will be best for our Soldiers?' when they develop the training plan."

The 32nd IBCT will be spending the better part of the month at Fort McCoy conducting training in everything from warrior tasks and squad weapon systems to field artillery missions.

"This is the first time that the 120th [Field Artillery Battalion] will be able to put steel on target since 2005," Seifer observed. "Everyone is excited about being able to do their mission."