1-121 training in its dual role
at Wisconsin post

Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Roy Henry
124th MPAD

July 9, 2007 – More than 200 members of Georgia’s 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, have begun their two-week annual training as part of Patriot 07 at Fort McCoy, Wis.

The 121st has two responsibilities…its traditional combat mission, and its homeland defense mission as Georgia’s National Guard Reaction Force.

“We have to be able to carryout both with not a whole lot more resources or time,” said Lt. Col. Andy Hall, the battalion commander. “With that in mind, we turned to National Guard Bureau for stateside and overseas training opportunities that we could ‘sculpt’ to fit our needs.”

Patriot 07, an annual nationally-held exercise, Hall said, fit the bill.

Since the battalion has changed from mechanized infantry to light infantry, the Soldiers of Winder’s Headquarters Company, Lawrenceville’s Company A and Covington’s Company B are out this first week honing their use of weapons and basic soldier skills. Joining them are members of Winder’s newly formed Company E. Although part of Forsyth’s 148th Forward Support Battalion, the unit provides permanent transportation, maintenance and other support to the 1-121.

Not here are the 121st’s C and D companies. Those elements, Hall explained, remain in Georgia as a homeland defense quick reaction force. The units will do their annual training at Hoensfeld, Ge., toward the end of this month, he said.

“They’re job for that two weeks is as an opposing force to other active duty, Guard and Reserve forces at the company level,” Hall said.

In its second week at this 60,000-acre active Army training post, the battalion will switch to sharpening its skills as a quick reaction force. This includes handling and evacuating of casualties, response to terrorist threats and civil disturbance scenarios.

“We took the opportunity to shape the exercise portion to fit that homeland defense mission,” Hall said. “What we do during that second week will ‘drive’ what other Patriot 07 participants here do in responding to us with support.”

Out on the ranges, several Soldiers stated that this year’s annual training is one that really shapes all elements of the battalion. Staff Sgt. Ray McCommons, a mortarman with 1-121’s Headquarters Company is one of those.

This one really tests our capabilities as infantry Soldiers and as the state’s first line of defense with regard to homeland security,” the 17-year Army veteran said.

For he and his fellow Soldiers, McCommons said, meeting, and defeating the challenges of this annual training is just another day in the infantry.

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Specialist Michael Capes, a rifleman with Co. B, 1^st Bn., 121^st INF., performs a safety check on the weapons of fellow Soldiers about to qualify with their M16 rifles at Fort McCoy, Wis. (Georgia National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Roy Henry)