"The degenerative and loony should never be denigrated but, rather, thanked. In their absence, the rest of you would be obliged to fill congressional seats... positions naturally unsavory to the sane and honorable."

Thorax

"...my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me." He added, after a pause, looking me full in the face: "That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave"

General "Stonewall" Jackson

I'm Surprised Panama's still sea level, after all the Push Ups I did down there.

Fort Polk News

ASUA conferred on Ops Grp, 509th

Friday, July 21, 2006 11:07 AM CDT

Training at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk is among the most realistic a rotational unit can get. This outstanding support is what garnered HHC, SOTD and the 1st/509th the Army Superior Unit Award.

GUARDIAN STAFF

Fort Polk units are proving they are among the Army's best.

The Army Superior Unit Award has been awarded to Headquarters and Headquarters Company and the Special Operations Training Detachment, Joint Readiness Training Center Operations Group, and the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment.

The ASUA, established in 1985, recognizes outstanding meritorious performance during peacetime in a difficult and challenging mission. From Oct. 1, 2003 through Sept. 30, 2005, both organizations displayed outstanding performance in training, planning and resourcing Army combat forces during the Global War on Terrorism, according to Department of the Army officials.

In the two-year award period, HHC and 1/509th conducted 21 mission rehearsal exercises for Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. HHC also planned and executed the deployment and redeployment of 30 Fort Polk units, about 8,000 National Guard and Reserve Soldiers and 24 major combat units to operations worldwide.

Outlined in the ASUA recommendation was the units' demobilization of almost 5,000 National Guard Soldiers, most of them from the 256th Brigade Combat Team, Louisiana National Guard.

This demobilization stressed systems already managing evacuees of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, said Brig. Gen. Michael D. Barbero, former commander of the JRTC and Fort Polk (Barbero, who relinquished command of the installation June 28, was responsible for the units' nomination).

“During recovery from the hurricanes, the performance of HHC as a coordinated and knowledgeable staff was critical. What these Soldiers did contributed to the success of ‘normal' installation operations in the midst of extended power outages and the reception and processing of thousands of Reservists and their families,” he said.

Soldiers from all 50 states -- and around the world (including Australia and New Zealand) -- have rotated through the JRTC, said Barbero. “Joint Special Operations Forces were integral to all JRTC rotations. These elements were drawn from Army Special Forces groups, U.S. Air Force Special Forces groups, Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Navy Seals and Naval rotary wing aviation.

“The exceptional efforts that HHC, Ops Group and the 1st/509th took to ensure MREs were sufficiently resourced and incorporated the most current information available for theater resulted in training that was relevant and more realistic than available anywhere else in the Army,” said Barbero.

One of those MREs, he said, was exportable, held in Fort Hood, Texas, to support the 4th Infantry Division and prepare the 4th Brigade Combat Team for deployment to Iraq.

The MRE included an opposing force element -- capable of providing high-intensity insurgent threat and a role play force -- capable of providing key roles for non-lethal engagements. Also on hand were observers/controllers, focused at the battalion task force. During 15 days, O/Cs and their contact support conducted three separate rotations for the reconnaissance squadron, the mechanized infantry battalion and the armor battalion.

One of the pillars of a combat training center, said Barbero, is providing feedback to the Army. Ops Group and the 1st/509th worked with the JRTC Center for Army Lessons Learned Cell to provide written lessons learned to Soldiers in tactics, techniques and procedures.

“These efforts have been driven by the JRTC's absolute dedication to putting the best warfighting materials in the hands of our Soldiers,” said Barbero.

Other efforts by the units include planning and overseeing the construction of a digital battle course, a shoot house, digitized multi-purpose range, pallet processing facility, arms storage facility and an alert holding area.

The commitment of HHD, SOTD and 1st/509th Soldiers is astounding, said Barbero.

“I am proud of these Soldiers. They exemplify the Warrior Ethos in all they do. Every Soldier eligible to wear this award deserves it and should do so proudly.”

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI.  One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS