FORT PICKETT, Va. –
Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry, known as the “Mountain Warriors,” participated in an Exportable Combat Training Center (XCTC) exercise during their annual training in June 2025.
Kentucky Army National Guard units conduct annual training each year to sustain mission-essential task proficiency, but not every Soldier gets to participate in a field training exercise of this scope and scale.
The 1/149th is organized under the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Virginia, with training and readiness oversight from Virginia’s 29th Infantry Division. The events from this year’s annual training enhance the 29th Infantry Division’s ability to sustain large-scale combat operations in demanding environments while building cohesive teams.
“The XCTC training environment is designed to replicate conditions similar to those at Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) or the National Training Center (NTC), but with an emphasis staying at the platoon level,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Moynahan, commander of the 1/149th. “Even though the traditional XCTC model is being rebranded as a 15-day Combat Readiness Exercise, or CRX, the training provided at XCTC is a critical step in the 1/149th Infantry’s progression toward JRTC next year.”
Training focused on squad-level live-fire exercises, ambush and direct-action tactics, dismounted maneuvering, situational exercises, radio communication, combat lifesaver skills, call-for-fire procedures, and land navigation. The Mountain Warriors maintained a busy training schedule, which included several night training events.
1st Lt. Kenton Edwards, a platoon leader with Charlie Company, led his platoon through a live-fire range to secure an objective from opposing forces as an assaulting element.
“Our motto, ‘Fight as Kentuckians,’ is essentially what being a Mountain Warrior emphasizes,” said Edwards. “We have a unique culture based on where we’re located not just in the state, but in the United States as a whole. Because of that, we have a culture our guys understand. You have to be violent, and I think that’s what it means to be a Mountain Warrior.”
The Soldiers engaged in multiple live-fire exercises that tested their ability to communicate under stress, maneuver under fire, and seize positions from an opposing force. These immersive, fast-paced exercises were designed to replicate the intensity of combat as closely as possible.
Throughout the training, observer controller/trainers (OC/Ts) evaluated the 1/149th's performance at the squad, platoon, and battalion levels, preparing them for the missions that their unit will have leading up to their future deployment.
“Next year we have JRTC, and sometime after that, we’ve got a deployment,” said Sgt. 1st Class James Sutter. "This is important training for us leading up to that.”
Combat medics worked closely with infantrymen as they engaged the enemy, managing casualties during simulated engagements. The cadre assigned specific injuries and conditions to which the medics had to react and provide care for under fire. They also had to make 9-line medevac requests to transport their ‘victims’ out of the danger zone.
“This is a great opportunity for our unit,” said Staff Sgt. Logan Cahall, medical noncommissioned officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1/149th. “We usually have to simulate or perform tasks notionally during drill weekends. Out here, we have the time, tools and opportunity to truly reinforce our medics’ capabilities in a field environment.”
Combat engineers also supported the infantry by clearing battlefield obstacles and hazards using explosive devices. This enabled a safer and more effective advance for assault elements.
Mortarmen trained with 60mm mortars, delivering fire support to secure a safe operational area for combat engineers as infantry forces moved forward. Each component worked in synchronization, creating a combined effect greater than the sum of its parts.
“This is a difficult annual training, with most days and nights spent in an austere environment,” said Moynahan. “But that’s what warfighting is about – training to be comfortable when it’s uncomfortable. From 90-degree heat to rain and thunderstorms, the Mountain Warriors train through all conditions, and never let it distract them from becoming better.”