FORT POLK, La. — A Soldier with 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, secures the village of Sangari Nov. 23, 2019, during rotation 20-02 at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana. (Photo courtesy Fort Polk Public Affairs Office)
By Sgt. Sidnie Smith
14th Public Affairs Detachment
FORT POLK, La. — A Soldier with 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, uses the radio to communicate during a fire mission Nov. 23, 2019, during rotation 20-02 at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana. Over 3,000 Soldiers with 2nd IBCT participated in the training with support from other units throughout Fort Carson. (Photo courtesy Fort Polk Public Affairs Office)
FORT POLK, La. — A month-long field rotation came to an end for 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, at Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in Fort Polk, Louisiana, at the end of November.
About 3,000 Soldiers from throughout the brigade participated in the JRTC rotation, 20-02. Additionally, Soldiers with 110th Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, trained with and provided support to 2nd IBCT while at Fort Polk.
Command Sgt. Maj. Steve Chandler, senior enlisted leader, 2nd IBTC, said realistic training at JRTC helped the Soldiers learn and improve their skills.
“Training is a way for us to learn from our mistakes,” Chandler said.
“We continue to train and improve, and JRTC provides us as a brigade the chance to sharpen our skills so we maintain our readiness.”
JRTC tested the brigade through a variety of skills. Soldiers used their skills to simulate training in an allied country in conflict. Role-players interacted with Soldiers in positive ways, such as local authorities working with 2nd IBCT to accomplish missions, as well as negative ways to learn how to react to a variety of issues. The Soldiers were tested with simulated hostiles and worked with enemy forces to sabotage the brigade’s mission.
“It’s important, regardless of (military occupational specialty), for all Soldiers to know … (how) to do simple things, like how to dig fox holes and how to scan sectors during guard shifts,” said Spc. Steve Mateo, a human resource specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd IBCT. “It was my first time going to JRTC and you just have to take it a day at a time and take that time to learn something new.”
FORT POLK, La. — Soldiers with 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, clear the village of Sangari Nov. 22, 2019, during rotation 20-02 at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana. (Photo courtesy Fort Polk Public Affairs Office)
FORT POLK, La. — Soldiers with 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, off-load supplies Nov. 24, 2019, during rotation 20-02 at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana. (Photo courtesy Fort Polk Public Affairs Office)