Michigan Nationwide Guard members of Bravo Firm, third Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, on the Ben Ghilouf Coaching Space in Tunisia June 27, 2022. They accomplished an abroad deployment for coaching train at African Lion 22, U.S. Africa Command’s largest and premier annual train. (U.S. Army Nationwide Guard picture by Capt. Joe Legros)
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BEN GHILOUF, Tunisia – Southern Tunisia encompasses a huge desert, toxic scorpions, massive camel spiders and a number of species of snakes. Fierce sandstorms and excessive warmth are the norms through the summer season.
“Coming from Michigan, unit management agreed this could make for a novel coaching setting to check our tools and problem our Troopers,” stated U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Darin Alexander, first sergeant of Bravo Firm, third Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, Michigan Nationwide Guard. “A problem is strictly what our Troopers obtained.”
The third Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment signed up for abroad deployment for coaching train African Lion 22 on the Ben Ghilouf Coaching Space in Tunisia.
African Lion is U.S. Africa Command’s largest and premier annual train, involving greater than 7,500 service members from 28 nations and NATO June 6 – 30. The coaching bolsters interoperability and helps U.S. navy strategic readiness in Africa and worldwide.
The infantry unit’s capabilities characteristic M4 rifles, together with M320 grenade launcher modules, and belt-fed M249 squad automated weapons and M240B machine weapons. All these weapon programs have been on show throughout coaching.
“We prepare by way of extraordinarily chilly temperatures all through the winter in Michigan,” stated U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Kurt Blackburn, a platoon sergeant. “It’s nice to see our Troopers and tools also can face up to the stress of extraordinarily sizzling climate and blowing sand.”
To mitigate heat-related casualties, water and powdered electrolytes have been all the time obtainable. A medical group, natural to the unit, monitored Troopers each day throughout and after coaching missions.
In consequence, the battalion accomplished vary operations the place Troopers zeroed their weapons, executed reflexive hearth eventualities and demonstrated weapons proficiency. Moreover, they performed a number of dry and live-fire workouts incorporating fight lifesaver methods on simulated casualties.
The unit maintained particular person Soldier readiness and welfare whereas additionally finishing required company-level mission-essential duties.
African Lion’s culminating occasion was a joint mixed arms live-fire train with the Tunisian Armed Forces, twenty second Marine Expeditionary Unit, the 2nd Safety Power Help Brigade, and Kansas and Oregon Nationwide Guard models.
“After we deploy, we’ll deploy with companions,” stated U.S. Army 1st Lt. Timothy Stark, commander of B Firm, third Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment. “It’s important to coach collectively, study from different models and militaries, and develop as a multinational group.”
“We don’t all the time get to decide on our working setting, so we must be ready for something,” he stated whereas main his unit by way of a simulated live-fire rehearsal on a 113-degree day.
Together with the roughly 70 Troopers of the third Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, who skilled in Tunisia, 1000’s of different U.S. service members performed workouts concurrently in Morocco, Ghana and Senegal throughout African Lion 22.
The train strengthens shared protection capabilities to counter transnational threats and violent extremist organizations.
Acclimating to the local weather, realizing the terrain and coaching with associate nations are obligatory to perform this aim.
“We got here to Tunisia to place our Troopers to the check,” Alexander stated. “They handed that check and we’re prepared when referred to as upon.”
