Cultural Immersion

This past week for our URF has been dedicated to Cultural Immersion Training. As previously stated some of our soldiers from South Carolina is in different groups or URFs. That is how they divide us up to complete the required training. Some of them went through weapons qualification, while we went through CI Training. In my opinion, Fort Riley does a wonderful job to prepare us for the task at hand. Cultural Immersion deals with a plethora of subjects from Language Training to briefings from native Afghans on the country and culture. The below pic is one of our classes.

The other pic is a picture of the the FOB, and some of the building/billets that we live in. The FOB is like our McCrady Training Center. This is the Kansas National Guard's training area that is being upgraded to support the MTT/ETT Mission. As they upgrade, many standard facilities are just not there, like a Mini-PX, as you can see from the three white trailers pictured above, that is our PX for Camp Funston.... This is quite strange to me, as we are Class 19, which means that 18 other classes have gone before us.... It does not appear that they are going to put too much money in improving the FOB, as Fort Riley have lost the MTT/ETT Training Mission to another post.. So things like a gym, PX, cable will probably not even show up....

Part of our Cultural Immersion Training involved TCP, (Traffic Control Point) Operations. The above pictures was our URFs training. Traffic Control Point operations deals with how to establish a Hasty Traffic Control Point, which covers how to search suspects, as well as how to search suspect vehicles for possible weapons. This probably was one of my most enjoyable classes. But realistically, this can be quite dangerous to perform in a combat zone. There are so many hazards and things that can go wrong. Everyone must be alert at all times. The lives of fellow soldiers and civilians is at stake if mistakes are made...

The last picture I will leave you is a picture of the RCAG. When you live in close quarters, train constantly, eat with your team, you get to know them. You learn so much about your fellow soldiers. In my opinion, COL Cannon, Commander of the RCAG/ETTs did an excellent job screening and placing the personnel assigned this mission. We all work so well together, everyone on the team is a team-player and will do anything to help the other, even if it is not in their area..... I pray this continues..... We have excellent leaders in every position and our boss definitely allows us to do our jobs. We can't ask for more. He fights for us and we work hard to ensure that we complete EVERY mission/task given. We all recognize that we represent not only ourselves, but we represent the State of South Carolina and the entire National Guard as we perform our mission.

Until next week, continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.... URF#8693.... "The RCAG"