SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii- The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Range Control welcomed four officers from the Armed Forces of Mongolia (MAF) to participate in a series of briefings that focused on U.S. Army range training procedures from Mar. 8 -11.
The four officers who visited are responsible for all of the MAF's training, which takes place at the Five Hills Peace Support Operations (PSO) Training Center in Mongolia, according to Maj. Dwayne Stanton, the Mongolian Desk Officer at the United States Army Pacific Command Security and Policy office.
During the officers' visit, they flew to the Pohakuloa Training Area. This training ground on the Big Island is designed for Soldiers to gain experience by performing operations that would be done during a unit's deployment. The Mongolian officers spent a day learning the U.S. Army's range planning procedures, including having a proper location for the training and available medical support and knowing the required logistical support, operations and safety procedures.
"The U.S. and Mongolia do have very similar range training procedures. We have learned that with the U.S. Army a lot of the range operations are handled by non-commissioned officers. We currently have a different system and through our partnership we have been able to see what we can implement to enhance our own training," said Mongolian Lt. Col. D. Ganzorig, the chief of the PSO Training Center.
"We have to be able to secure and protect our homeland; so having relationships with our foreign neighbors gives us the opportunity to learn what has worked for our partners...this is very important," he added.
During a briefing that focused on the responsibility of a master gunner, the Mongolian officers listened intently to Sgt. Maj. Troy Tuten, the master gunner and operations sergeant major for 3rd Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. He explained in detail the unit's range and safety procedures.
"A master gunner is a subject matter expert on the training and execution of small arms range procedures. He has to look at what is necessary to train his Soldiers to the Army standard," explained Tuten during his brief.
The MAF, which has a non-commissioned officer corps, sought to enhance its corps based on 2003 observations and lessons learned from supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the USARPAC Security Cooperation and Policy office. The visit gave the officers a fresh view on current U.S. Army range training procedures and allowed the two countries to strengthen their partnership.
"These types of training exchanges and security cooperation events are designed to enhance our partnership with Mongolia because they hold a very important role in U.N. Peacekeeping events [and other various] missions. The Army considers this partnership and relationship to be very important," said Stanton.
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