HOHENFELS TRAINING AREA, Germany. -National Guardsmen of the 1156th Engineer Company from Kingston, NY and the surrounding areas deployed to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) to construct two large multi-use buildings from the ground up.
"We came here for three weeks to try and accomplish constructing two 52ft by 25ft concrete masonry units (CMU)" Spc. Clancey said, a Carpentry/Masonry specialist with the 1156th Engineers, "and so far we're ahead of schedule and tackling extra projects as well."
JMRC's constantly adapting training environment is made possible through Guard and Reserve Engineer units like the 1156th Engineers, that deploy from the states as part of their annual training. "We're looking towards the future in a post Afghanistan training world," Sgt. Maj. Dennis Reynolds, Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Reserve Component, Senior Enlisted Advisor said, "These Engineers are playing a huge role in meeting the demands of JMRC by building the new Contemporary Operating Environments (COE) that will help shape the way U.S., NATO, and Partner Nations forces train in a post counter insurgency environment."
Construction units like the 1156th, are consistently scheduled throughout each year to help improve and adapt JMRC's training environment to meet the future training scenarios the master planners foresee. However Sgt. 1st Class Craig Clayton, 1156th Engineer Company, project supervisor explains that the construction portion of their annual training is the easy part. "Our annual training in Germany enables our unit to implement the same procedures that we would use prior to being deployed to a combat zone." Craig went on to say, "all the paperwork and pre deployment planning is usually the tough part, but when we arrive to the jobsite, the fun stuff begins."
The New York based unit, was unfamiliar with some of the European building materials, but that didn't change how they approached the project, "It's been nice to work with different building styles, and try to gain a new understanding…" Spc. Clancey said, "It's certainly been educational."
"This has been excellent training!" Sgt. 1st Class Clayton implored, "When our soldiers get hands on training with different materials and constructions methods, the knowledge of their individual military occupation specialties (MOS) become stronger."
The incorporation of Engineer units like the 1156th have become a mainstay at JMRC for many reasons to include a large concern in a shrinking military budget environment, "Guard & Reserve Engineer units are a cost effective means to save the American tax dollar." Sgt. Maj. Reynolds explained, "One, their training in their skill sets and two, units are usually working split operations to maximize their performance capacity."
Sgt. Maj. Reynolds finished by saying, "JMRC is a great place for Guard and Reserve units to come and train, to stay ready and relevant, wherever the next contingency operations may be."
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