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By Staff Sgt. Fredrick P. Varney, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Kentucky Army National Guard
[caption id="attachment_1335" align="alignleft" width="600" caption="Sgt. Joseph W. Marcum, Heavy Equipment Operator, HSC 201st Engineer Battalion, excavates the roadway behind a Military Operations Urban Training Site (MOUT) April 19 in Hohenfels, Germany. The MOUT Site provides deploying Soldiers an opportunity to train in real-world scenarios. "]
HOHENFELS, Germany (May 10, 2010) – The Joint Multi-National Readiness Center (JMRC) plays an integral role in preparing today’s Soldiers with the necessary skills to succeed in the Global War on Terrorism.
[caption id="attachment_1337" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Sgt. Andrew D. Wiglesworth, Squad Leader, 149th Vertical Engineer Company, uses a trowel to smooth concrete during the construction of a Military Operations Urban Training (MOUT) site April 19 in Hohenfels, Germany. "]
In order to continue success on the streets of Iraq and Afghanistan, the JMRC has engaged in various projects intended to expand its capabilities and provide top-notch training for Soldiers heading downrange.
More than 200 Soldiers with the 149
th Vertical Engineer Company from Cynthiana, Kentucky recently played a critical role in continuing training improvements here by providing much needed expansion to a Military Operations Urban Training (MOUT) Site located within the Kittenessee Training Area.
[caption id="attachment_1343" align="alignright" width="100" caption="Spc. Natasha S. Slone surveys at the Kittenessee Training Area April 19 in Hohenfels, Germany. "]
The MOUT Site allows Soldiers to train in a simulated urban environment designed to enhance technical and tactical maneuvering skills.
“The purpose of the MOUT site is to give mobilizing units a chance to see what a city in Afghanistan might look like,” said Sgt. Andrew D. Wiglesworth, Squad Leader, for the 149
th Vertical Engineer Company.
The Kentucky Guard unit has spent countless hours over the past three weeks laying block and pouring concrete in an effort to create the real-world scenario for mobilizing Soldiers.
Wiglesworth said the training has provided his Soldiers with a chance to receive crucial hands-on training.
[caption id="attachment_1338" align="alignright" width="190" caption="Sgt. Andrew D. Wiglesworth, Squad Leader, 149th Vertical Engineer Company, uses a trowel to smooth concrete during the construction of a Military Operations Urban Training (MOUT) site April 19 in Hohenfels, Germany."]
“The team-building concept here has just been amazing,” Wiglesworth said. “Our Soldiers have done a fantastic job and morale has been extremely high.”
“It has been really exciting for our young Soldiers to receive top-notch hands-on training that has helped improve their job skills,” he said.
[caption id="attachment_1347" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Private first class Joshua R. House and Staff Sgt. Jerry D. Sipe pour concrete from a cement truck."]
Cpt. Terry D. Durham, Commander, 149
th Vertical Engineer Company, said the improvement over the course of the project has been substantial by his Soldiers.
“The first day we were here, the unit managed to lay around 100 blocks per day, and now as we are nearing the end of the project, that figure has increased to 500 blocks per day.”
“I am very proud of all the hard work they have accomplished throughout the course of this training cycle”, he said.
Durham said the quality of work from his Soldiers has been excellent, and that everyone has ensured to put safety first.
“The Kentucky National Guard sets the standard for both quality and safety,” he said. “We lead by example and pave the road for other units to follow.”