Guard's 3-135th Theater Aviation Battalion training focuses on Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year competitions

By Matthew J. Wilson
Ngmo.pao@US.ARMY.MIL

LEBANON, Mo. - Soldiers in the Missouri National Guard always strive to find new ways to be more efficient.

At Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 135th Theater Aviation Battalion, 1st Sgt. Matthew Francis, the company first sergeant, has found a way to prepare his Soldiers for the Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year competitions by utilizing training the Guardsmen in his unit would already perform.

"We're not deviating from our training - this is part of our regular training," Francis said.

The idea to meet both the unit training and individual competition objectives through the same means was sparked for Francis and Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Thieret, the 3rd Battalion command sergeant major, last year while they were coaching Spc. Ashley Johnson during the brigade Soldier of the Year competition.

"We started thinking differently about how we prepare for Soldier of the Year," Francis said. "So what we're doing is every eligible Soldier and non commissioned officer is going to compete within the unit throughout the year.
"With every eligible Soldier, we wanted to give them the opportunity to compete. We'll give them the whole year to prepare for it and set them up for success."

Francis, who lives in Kansas City, said Soldiers response is positive as it allows them to be competitive with each other during regular training.

"It increases the interest in the training," Francis said. "So we are using that to build the competition level, get the Soldiers more engaged, challenge them more and get them some good training."

Part of both company competitions, which take place in October, is an eight-mile ruck march with a 40-pound backpack.

For this drill, Francis utilized the unit physical training time, which was already incorporated into the training schedule, by setting up a three-mile ruck march without a pack for his Soldiers at Harke Park, near the unit's armory.

"This is our physical training time that we schedule each month, so this is what we did for physical training this month," Francis said. "This is a conditioning one - just three miles - easy. They were all motivated and out there having a good time."

Francis said that each monthly drill, the Guardsmen in the unit will works their way up to the competition level march by adding distance and weight to the backpack. For instance, next month will be a five-mile march with a 20-pound pack and in March, the march will be five miles with a 40-pound pack.

"During annual training in May at Fort Leonard Wood, we're putting on the schedule an eight-mile, 40-pound ruck march," Francis said. "That's going to be their competition. That after noon, we're going to land navigation, because that's also part of the competition."

Outside of the ruck march and land navigation, Guardsmen also have to demonstrate proficiencies in the Army Physical Fitness test, weapons, map reading, drill and ceremony, and customs and courtesies, among others, to be successful in the competition. Those areas also will be incorporated into the unit's regular training.

"That's kind of the nice thing - the competition is requiring Soldier skills and we train on our Soldier skills," Francis said. "All the tasks that are in the competition, we are already covering in the competition, so it's really easy to tie it together. We don't have to do anything extra."

Francis said each Guardsman also receives a study guide to help prepare.

By finishing the march as the top two enlisted Soldiers, Staff Sgt. Christopher Morago and Sgt. Diamond Bowman, are the early front runners on the physical training portions of the competitions.

Morago, who lives in Salem, said his competitive juices were flowing for the march.

"My fellow Soldiers were doing it and I didn't want to let them out do me - that's what really motivated me to do better," Morago said. "I kept seeing other Soldiers in front of me and I said, 'Oh no, I've got to keep going.' They were doing the same thing and it was going back and forth. We were actually motivating each other."

Staying motivated as a Soldier, Morago said, is the key to being successful in physical training.

"It's about self preservation and a drive to keep going," he said. "When you lace up the boots and you put on the uniform, you become somebody different, almost like the Incredible Hulk.
"When I'm in my civilian clothes, I do my job, but as soon as I put this uniform on, it's a motivator."

Coming off a knee injury from last year, Bowman was satisfied with his performance and has aspirations of being the company's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

"I'm doing pretty well," said Bowman, who lives in Lebanon. "We haven't really had a competition before and I like it."

In the past, Bowman said Soldiers would train on their own. This way, Bowman said, Soldiers immediately see what they are up against.

"It gives you more drive and more motivation to make sure the other Soldier is not out doing you," he said. "It's more competition and you get better results out of everybody."

Bowman added that the unit physical training is an excellent team-builder.

"I got to see everybody get motivated and do something together as a team," he said. "I didn't see anybody quit and we all kind of motivated each other to do well and achieve higher goals."

Even though the Guardsmen completed the march in bitter cold, Bowman said the march was conducted the right way.

"We had everybody there and everybody was safe about it, and knew their limitations," Bowman said. "Some tried to push themselves a little bit harder than others."

The unit's newest officer, 2nd Lt. Faron Ipox, was side-by-side with Morago as they crossed the finish line. Although not eligible as an officer to participate in either contest, Ipox said it was a good way for him to bond with his new unit members during his first drill.

"I mainly participated to motivate Soldiers," said Ipox, who lives in Des Peres. "I hope it built some esprit de corps. I am honored to be a part of 3rd Battalion. I feel if you work out with the Soldiers you can gauge their physical fitness abilities, which is really important."

Francis said he encourages the officers to participate.

"That motivates Soldiers when they can have some fun with the officers and the lieutenant is young enough to compete with these kids," Francis said. "I just hope the officers can help with the team building, the encouragement, the coaching and mentoring, so we can develop a little more cohesion."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.