FORT SILL, Okla. -- As the 214th Fires Brigade celebrated the return of C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery Soldiers from their Afghanistan deployment, the brigade's security force assistant advisory team, set to deploy to the country, ended their training at Fort Polk, La.
For the past month, the team trained in some of the toughest, most realistic situations the Army provides to its deploying forces. The Soldiers experienced everything from live-fire missions to in-depth cultural awareness classes at the Joint Readiness Training Center.
"The training was very worthwhile and I'm glad I got to go," said 1st Lt. Alex Pippet, 168th Brigade Support Battalion. "We ran through several missions a day with the best part being the live-fire exercises. They would have video projections of gunners shooting a .50 caliber machine gun at a truck near you and then the truck blew up -- it was awesome."
While the combat training included some of the most real, comprehensive and updated mission simulations, the focus of the SFAAT mission is advising and assisting the Afghan National Security Forces. The goal is to make them self-reliant so that when the U.S. leaves, the Afghan soldiers can keep their borders and cities secure while continuing the fight against insurgent forces like the Taliban and al-Qaida.
In addition to training the ANSF forces, however, the SFAAT will have to continue winning the hearts and minds of the locals. One of the biggest setbacks U.S. forces face is a communication break down due to cultural differences between America and Afghanistan.
Anticipating this problem, JRTC instituted a thorough block of cultural training.
"The culture classes were excellent," said Sgt. 1st Class Brock Gardner, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 214th FiB. "They flew in subject matter experts direct from Afghanistan. They even had an Islam class given by an actual Afghan citizen."
Training complete, the Soldiers returned home welcomed by their families.
"I'm glad he's back," said Angela Connelley, wife of 2nd Lt. Mitch Connelley, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery. "If only actual deployments lasted a month."
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