Story by Maj. Margaret Ziffer, 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Training facilities at the Smoky Hill Weapons Range,
Great Plains Joint Training Center, are being enhanced with the addition
of a new physical fitness field and irrigation pond, courtesy of the
242nd Engineer Company out of Coffeyville. After a last minute change in
training plans, the horizontal construction engineers have wasted no
time diving in to complete a project that will ultimately increase
readiness for units across the state.
The idea to build a physical fitness training field originated only
recently when range personnel at GPJTC observed a unit conducting
pre-mobilization training.
“We watched them and they were essentially doing PT anywhere they
could,” said Capt. Hans Stephensen, range officer-in-charge. “We
realized that we had a need for a PT field out here.”
Stephensen said that realization generated a conversation about picking a
site, and the team agreed on an empty space near the range control
headquarters that wasn’t being utilized. Selecting the site may have
been easy, but then the team became aware of some other challenges they
needed to address.
“It was pointed out to us that the site needed to be leveled and we
didn’t have enough dirt,” Stephensen said. “Also, we aren’t allowed to
use metered water to water it, so we would have to have our own water
source.”
After discussing options, GPJTC staff realized that digging a pond would
solve both the dirt problem and the water problem, since the pond could
be used to irrigate the new field. All they needed was a unit to make
it happen. When the 242nd Eng. Co. called searching for last minute
training opportunities because their original annual training plan fell
through due to COVID-19, it was a perfect fit.
“We asked them what their training objectives were,” Stephensen said.
“They asked to do some earth moving projects, so that made us expedite
the PT field project. Originally we were looking at a longer timeline,
but we saw that there was a great opportunity to seize this as both a
training objective for them, as well as accomplishing a major objective
for us in providing another training facility and venue for the units
that come out here.”
Once they gained all the proper approvals, GPJTC gave the 242nd the green light to get started.
“We came to it with open arms,” said Staff Sgt. Derek Redenius,
operations non-commissioned officer for the job site and acting platoon
sergeant for 1st Platoon. “We took every piece of equipment we had,
supplied all of our Soldiers and made it happen.”
The 242nd equipment inventory included scrapers, dozers, graders and
dump trucks. In addition to the PT field, the engineers are also using
their time at the GPJTC to complete other heavy construction work, like
culvert projects and road maintenance.
“The experience has been great,” Redenius said. “For the last three
years or so we’ve done more combat missions than we have construction
engineer missions. So for young Soldiers it has been kind of tough for
them to learn their jobs as engineers because we’ve been doing more
combat type training. With this job, we get to run our equipment and get
young Soldiers licensed.”
Redenius said the Soldiers have been enthusiastic about the work, which has been rewarding for him to see.
“My favorite part about being out here has been getting the young
Soldiers time in their equipment and seeing the morale raise,” Redenius
said. “We give them the chance to stop after dinner chow, and everybody
has wanted to come back out and continue until dark.”
Looking ahead, Stephensen said the PT field could potentially be used to
conduct the new Army Combat Fitness Test. And in the meantime, GPJTC
will be home to a new space open to any unit to facilitate all types of
physical fitness training. It will be a space Kansas Guardsmen can call
their own.
When combined with all the other facilities at GPJTC, the completion of
this project will allow units to increase training efficiency and
readiness by having access to everything they need, all in one location.
“The addition of this facility will allow the range complex out here to
host not only the ACFT, which is a major training event, but also
Soldier Readiness Programs and weapons qualifications,” said Stephensen.
“What we want is for units to want to train here and be able to
complete everything all in one drill weekend. That would help save
commanders training time by not having to break those events up into
three separate weekends.”
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