FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Boots marched and wheels rolled across the dusty ground as a new day of annual training began. Soldiers with Detachment 1, Military Police Company, 86th Special Troops Battalion, prepared for the day's mission, June 22, 2015, at Fort Drum, N.Y.
The MPs play an important role during annual training. Their focus is placed on tasks like managing entry control points, mission reconnaissance and convoy security. The training, which is taking place in the field, poses some challenges, but also some advantages. The real-life training is especially important to Soldiers who have minimal hands-on experience.
Pvt. Jaimee Boivin, a military police officer with the Det 1/MP, 86th STB, explained that this is his first annual training since he graduated from Advanced Individual Training earlier this year. He said he is enjoying his time training and with the support of his leadership, he is able to learn his job well.
"My team leaders here and my Sgts. are all really helpful," said Boivin.
One of those support personnel is 1st Lt. Lindsay Pigeon, the executive officer for the Det 1/MP, 86th STB. She has taken on the challenge of executive officer, a job she has not done before for annual training.
"I have never been an XO before, so coming here and being thrown into an XO position was pretty exciting," said Pigeon. "You get to learn something new. There's a lot of moving parts, there's a lot of coordination with many people that I never knew before today, so it's a lot of networking and trying to figure how to support what you need to support and do it the best that you can and the most efficient that you can."
This new challenge comes with a lot of responsibility. The XO is in charge of logistics and personnel to make sure all Soldiers have supplies like food, ammo and transportation. Pigeon says there are challenges along the way, but they are overcome with coordination.
"They have a lot of people in a lot of places currently, so maintaining that and getting adequate sleep on top of that is definitely something they are struggling to balance, but they're getting there"
Despite these challenges, the Soldiers gracefully accept the tasks at hand and learn in the process. A great learning point, especially for newer Soldiers, is the fact that this summer's annual training is being conducted in the field.
"Until you are on the ground and going through those steps it's really hard to fully understand it," said Pigeon. "So I think being in the field gives them the hands on experience that they need in order to fully understand and improve on the task that they have."
Pigeon said she hopes that all Soldiers attending annual training take something away from it whether they are new or experienced, and they become stronger in the process.
"Ultimately it's the training value and knowing that they each took something positive away from this," said Pigeon.
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