For decades, units such as the 1st Cavalry Division and the 4th Infantry Division have deservedly stood in the spotlight when it came to their military exploits in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
But since 2006, the 120th Infantry Brigade has helped other units shine in their own rights as it undertakes the training of Army Reserve and National Guard troops.
During the two years since, Col. David Clark led the brigade and oversaw the training of 10,000 National Guard and Army Reserve troops who eventually deployed to Iraq.
And during those two years, the training has been in a constant state of flux because the mission itself is ever-evolving.
On Wednesday, the brigade bid farewell to Clark and welcomed its new skipper, Col. John T. Smith, who agreed to the significance of the 120th Brigade’s mission.
“This is the most important mission in the Army today,” he said. “In some respects, we are asking an awful lot of those civilians to come and learn their craft to be successful in Iraq, but it’s our job to figure out what it takes to be successful.”
To be successful, Smith relies on the expertise of his soldiers and non-commissioned officers who have seen combat.
Sgt. 1st Class Blaine Gibbs, who serves as the first sergeant for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, has done two tours in Iraq.
“Our job is to prepare National Guard soldiers to deploy to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait,” he said.
This includes teaching those soldiers to conduct combat patrols and convoys, learning how to detect and avoid improvised explosive devices, and manning tactical checkpoints.
The training for these troops, which takes at least 90 days, begins in the classroom and moves into the field.
While a status quo exists when it comes to training with most units, that gets thrown out when it comes to teaching the troops newer tactics. That, in fact, is the greatest challenge for members of the 120th.
“We have to constantly do our homework as trainers,” Gibbs said. “The enemy is constantly adapting and we have to adapt to him too. It’s a constant battle.”
Most recently, the 37th Brigade Combat Team, which is composed of Ohio and Michigan National Guard troops, completed its training and, because the brigade would be serving in both Iraq and Kuwait, Gibbs said that in itself was a challenge.
“Usually, you have a unit that is going to one theater or the other,” he said. “The rules of engagement are different in Kuwait than they are in Iraq. The mindset is different.”
Sgt. Maj. Duane Detweiler, who served in Afghanistan, now serves as the sergeant major for the 3rd Battalion, 395th Regiment, 120th Infantry Brigade.
His job now is to help train Army scouts in mounted gunnery and close combat, and he agreed that those challenges Gibbs talked about are real.
“We are looking at new and better ways to accomplish the mission,” Detweiler said. “We will do whatever it takes for the soldiers to be successful.”
