Missouri Guard officer candidates prepare for final phase of training

Missouri National Guard Senior Officer Candidate Jeff Hollis, along with other members of his squad, provide security from their posts during a field exercise. (Photo by Matthew J. Wilson)

By Matthew J. Wilson
ngmo.pao@us.army.mil

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - A class of 22 Missouri National Guardsmen recently wrapped up the second phase of officer candidate school with a four-day weekend that focused on a field training exercise.

The exercise was designed to prepare the Soldiers, who are in Class 49 of the Missouri Guard's 2nd Battalion, 140th Regiment Missouri Regional Training Institute Officer Candidate School, for their third and final phase of training next month at Fort Lewis, Wash.

"The objective was to train them in the warrior tasks and battle drills they'll see in phase III," said Capt. Jon-Yves Bellers, platoon trainer for the exercise. "These Soldiers are motivated and ready to complete their training."

If the senior officer candidates pass the two weeks of training at Fort Lewis, they'll earn their officer commission in September at a ceremony in Jefferson City.

Senior Officer Candidate William Teachey, who lives in Westport, said he was excited about being so close to becoming an officer, and was preparing for the responsibility that comes with the title.

"We faced a lot of challenges here and the officers who have come before us, like our platoon trainers, have told us, as soon as we are done with this and they pin on that gold bar, we'll have a whole new set of problems before us," Teachey said. "What the Missouri National Guard Officer Candidate School has taught us is how to deal with that sort of stress effectively."

The candidates had to overcome the July heat, as well as a thick indigenous insect population as they spent three days and three nights outside without conventional shelter.

Bellers said the training at Fort Lewis will center on small, unit-level tactics and troop leading procedures.

Some of the battle drills the candidates worked on during the field training exercise included reacting to enemy fire, preparing an ambush, reacting to an ambush, knocking out bunkers and entering and clearing buildings.

"They performed well for the level that they are at," said Bellers, who lives in Jefferson City. "It's a stepping stone to prepare them for more responsibility in the future."

One thing the candidates did to impress Bellers was their innovation.

"During the react-to-an-ambush mission, some of the candidates decided to change their headgear so the opposing forces would identify them as easily," Bellers said.

Most of the drills revolved around the candidates moving as a unit in battlefield conditions.

"I now have more of an understanding of how to move as a member of a squad," Teachey said. "We also had a critical amount practice in leadership role within squads and platoons. We learned to coordinate a relatively large number of people - from 11 to 22 - while we were out in the field and get them to work as a team. I feel like we are going to be prepared for phase III in Fort Lewis."

Senior Officer Candidate James Trautt said Bellers and the rest of the cadre did a good job of walking the candidates through the drills.

"I saw a lot more improvement," said Trautt, who is from St. Louis City. "We haven't really been in the field environment too much."

During their previous drill, Trautt said cadre were leading the patrols, but this drill, after the candidates had seen what was expected of them, they were leading.

"We had a little bit of time in between drills to let that soak in, study the warrior task battle drills and improve from last drill," Trautt said. "I think we are in a good spot now to represent Missouri well."

Trautt said the field exercise helped him build self assurance.

"This showed me how each mission should roll, gave me the confidence to be flexible and make changes on the fly, and give commands," he said. "I learned how to use my command voice and make sure people hear me."

As a Pine Lawn city police officer in his civilian career, Senior Officer Candidate Jamal Dunn said he has a lot of leadership experience. But during the field exercise was the first chance he's really got to use that skill in the Guard.

"This was the first time I got out there and actually led over and over, and I got used to it," said Dunn, who lives in Belleville, Ill. "Telling people what to do isn't something that's new to me, but I basically got familiarized with leading Soldiers in a real-time, combat situation."

Dunn served for three years, from 1999-2002, in the active Army on the enlisted side. He joined the Guard about two years ago to see the military from the perspective of an officer.

"I missed the edge that you get being in the military and the camaraderie," he said. "But I wanted to do it from a different angle this time."

Now that the dream of becoming an officer is so close, Dunn is anxious to get there.

"It's like you see the light at the end of the tunnel," he said. "Through all the heat and the sweat, you realize that you've only got to suck it up for a little while longer and then it's over. Then you get that gold bar that we've all been waiting on for 18 months. It will be my biggest achievement yet, being an officer in the military."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites: www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.myspace.com/missouri_ng; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard; www.blog.moguard.com

Missouri National Guard senior officer candidates practice patrolling on a battlefield during a recent field exercise at Fort Leonard Wood. The exercise is meant to prepare them for their final phase of training.
(Photo by Matthew J. Wilson)