FORT BRAGG, N.C. - More than 540 North Carolina Army National Guard citizen-soldiers of the 1-252nd Combined Arms Battalion and the 1-130th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion participated in a combined arms exercise here, Feb. 7 to 9.
This combined arms training using Apache Attack Helicopters in support of M1A1-Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles prepares both forces for future deployments and ensures unit readiness and relevancy as an operational force.
The 1-252 CAB executed 24-hour operations throughout the training. Radios buzzed as leaders planned missions and controlled operations on the ground and in the air.
During a mid-day after action brief to 1-252 leaders, Lt. Col. James Yount, officer in charge of a contingent of active duty cadre from the 188th Infantry Brigade who observed and critiqued 1-252's actions during their training had good things to say about 252's efforts.
"This exercise helps train leaders to understand the basics of combined arms maneuver and how to use available elements of combat power in a unified action to defeat the enemy on the ground," said Yount. "This command and its front line leaders performed well and they were receptive to our observations and recommendations."
Yount concluded, "It is amazing to see how these soldiers, who have civilian jobs during the week, can come out here and execute this type of training and be very good at it - training that the regular army does full-time all month long."
The 1-252 CAB deployed with the N.C. Army National Guard's 30th Brigade to Iraq in 2004 and again with the 30th to Iraq in 2009.
The 1-130 ARB deployed to Afghanistan in 2003 and to Iraq in 2009.
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