{"id":18049,"date":"2023-07-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=18049"},"modified":"2023-07-09T06:42:17","modified_gmt":"2023-07-09T06:42:17","slug":"washington-guard-infantry-unit-completes-annual-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=18049","title":{"rendered":"Washington Guard Infantry Unit Completes Annual Training"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Washington National Guard Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, take part in a command post exercise at the Yakima Training Center June 13, 2023.
\n (Photo Credit: Joseph Siemandel)<\/span>
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\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
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CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – After a year in Poland, supporting the State Partnership Program in the Kingdom of Thailand and responding to multiple state missions, the Guard members from 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, could have gone easy this annual training.<\/p>\n

However, that isn\u2019t the \u201cDark Rifle\u201d way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe planned and executed a comprehensive annual training, including a full-scale command post exercise (CPX), starting with a full military decision-making process, then rapid decision-making synchronization process, two tactical operating center (TOC) jumps, TOC defensive battle drills, air insertion, night driving and mortar ranges,\u201d said Lt. Col. Krystian Derda, commander of 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment. \u201cIt has been challenging but fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

While much of the battalion conducted annual training during March\u2019s Cobra Gold 23 in Thailand, the rest of the battalion took to the Yakima Training Center to take part in \u201cRifle Wrath 23,\u201d an externally evaluated CPX in a simulated force-on-force fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe battalion-size opposing force was free thinking and free to win, with its own command structure,\u201d said Maj. Tom Haydock, executive officer for 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment. \u201cIt was by far the best CPX I\u2019ve participated in.\u201d<\/p>\n

The simulation was fluid, requiring the battalion staff to be in \u201crun\u201d mode from the minute they started. The exercise involved tracking the fight while receiving battle updates from subordinate command posts. The staff had to react with fire and maneuver to the enemy as troops transitioned from movement to contact to an attack on enemy locations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to push the staff and see what we were capable of. We needed to test our battle drills and processes to ensure that everyone responded to a free-thinking OPFOR. Everyone really seemed to enjoy the challenge,\u201d said Derda.<\/p>\n

While much of the annual training was focused on the CPX, the Dark Rifles also took part in mortar live fire using the dismounted 81 mm systems and the 120 mm Stryker MCV platforms. Lastly, the Guard members took part in an air insertion at Camp Seven Mile near Spokane thanks to the Guard members from 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that our Soldiers enjoyed this annual training. We tried to make every training event challenging and bring something different each time,\u201d said Derda. \u201cWe continue to challenge our Soldiers but also remind them that the Guard is a great place if you take the time to explore the opportunities provided.\u201c<\/p>\n

For more National Guard news<\/a><\/p>\n

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National Guard Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Washington National Guard Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, take part in a command post exercise at the Yakima Training Center June 13, 2023. (Photo Credit: Joseph Siemandel) VIEW ORIGINAL CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – After a year in Poland, supporting the State Partnership Program in the Kingdom of Thailand and responding to multiple state […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18051,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18049"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18052,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18049\/revisions\/18052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}