36th Infantry Division Trains With British Army Counterparts
Texas Army National Guard Soldiers of the 36th Infantry Division surprisingly found themselves within a few miles from England’s world-famous Stonehenge while training overseas. They could see the mysterious stones as they traveled across the rolling hills of the plateau to various British Army military sites for their training.
SALISBURY PLAIN, England — Texas Army National Guard Soldiers of the 36th Infantry Division surprisingly found themselves within a few miles from England’s world-famous Stonehenge while training overseas. They could see the mysterious stones as they traveled across the rolling hills of the plateau to various British Army military sites for their training.
During late Sept. and early October, approximately 100 members from the 144th and 142nd Infantry Battalions joined the British Territorial Army’s 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment (3RAR) for the second phase of Operation Glow Worm. Joining them were members of the 56th Special Troops Battalion and the 949th Battalion Support Brigade.
Just as the U.S. has its National Guard, the Territorial Army consists of Britain’s reserve Soldiers. Members of the 3RAR, known as the Steelbacks, visited Texas during the intense August heat and trained with the 36th Inf. Div. T-Patchers at North Fort Hood and Camp Swift.
The Texas infantrymen attended numerous weapons classes, live-fire ranges, conducted assaults in training villages and viewed weapons of the past, present and future. Each day they became more familiar with the British Army’s weapon of choice, the L85A2 rifle. They also learned the basics of mortars, archery, Molotov cocktails and setting up trip flares.
After completing their training rotations, they were privileged to experience English heritage and customs from within the sacred walls of The Tower of London and behind the gates of Buckingham Palace.
Multi-National Training
Numerous world-wide operations are currently underway that include combined forces from many different countries. Naturally, they possess different political ideals, command systems, strategies and weapons.
British Maj. Ged Murphy, the new training major for the Territorial Army’s 3 RAR, said international training programs help iron out mission complexities, potential frictions and difficulties which ultimately leads to earlier success for everyone involved.
“It’s absolutely imperative that we do everything we can before we end up on operations when things can go wrong and be dangerous,” said Murphy. “It’s important not only to train together, but that we actually understand each other. This is a fantastic opportunity for the U.S. and the United Kingdom (personnel) because they will inevitably find themselves working together.”
Often, 36th Inf. Div. Soldiers find themselves working with their foreign counterparts, whether in Texas or overseas. In the past five years alone, they have joined forces with militaries from Japan, Iraq, Honduras, Chile, Egypt and the Czech Republic, just to name a few.
Lt. Col. Michael Houston, who commands the 144th Inf. Bn., emphasized that conducting overseas deployment training (ODT) following a unit’s mobilization is the ideal time for effective training
“That’s when everyone’s skill sets are finely honed from recent combat,” said Houston. “This launches us into a phase of tactical training that will carry us forward to our next deployment. We need to continue these ODTs and partner more units together. Having a sister unit overseas maintains (multi-national) relationships that will carry forward regardless of changes in a unit’s leadership.”
Urban Operations
One of the favorite training sites for the Arrowhead troops was Copehill Down, the site of a modernized urban assault village like none they had seen before. The numerous buildings varied in exterior and interior designs; creating all types of door, window, stairs and wall-mounted ladder entry points for the infantrymen to overcome. Beneath the streets, a maze of inactive sewer and drainage pipes added another unique challenge.
According to British Sgt. Major Chris Jewell, a senior permanent instructor for the 3RAR, approximately 130 British Soldiers joined the 36th Inf. Div. troops for the urban assault.
One special high-tech building contained the sophisticated LLUST system, the Low Level Urban Street Trainer. With interactive walls and floors, the building tracks every move made in its interior.
“It knows when we are standing, kneeling or in the prone position by using the small electronic tags we put in our pockets and on our boot laces,” said Spc. Don Barfield of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Bn., 144th Inf. “Afterwards, we watch the results on a big screen in a different building. It was very interesting, very high-speed.”
Following his platoon’s rotation through the village, Spc. Daniel Ovalle of C Company, 2nd Bn., 144th Inf., said he was impressed with the British instructors and what they were teaching.
“This is a great training environment and a once in a lifetime chance for us,” Ovalle said during one of his breaks. “We’re grunts, so we’re all about hands-on training because we like to kick in doors and cause havoc. My adrenaline was really going today.”
Equipment Exhibits
While in Warminster at the Land Warfare Centre, the T-Patchers visited the Infantry and Small Arms School Corps’ comprehensive collection of 3,500 weapons from dozens of different countries. The remarkable assortment varied from small hand grenades and pistols to mines, mortars and enormous anti-tank guns.
Self-professed history buff Staff Sgt. Michael Watts, a recruiter from Team 8, Region 2, said the tour guide was a walking encyclopedia of weapons history.
“It was unbelievable, the amount and variety of everything,” Watts said after completing his tour. “One of my favorites was a Fourteenth Century Chinese-made rifle that had to be ten feet long. It took two people to actually fire it.”
The visiting T-Patchers were also allowed to see the latest high-tech equipment being fielded by British troops. Items ranged from individual combat packs to large combat vehicles.
A Different Language
Besides learning British Army training procedures, techniques and equipment, Arrowhead Soldiers also experienced historic English culture each and every day; whether at the training camp locations or while visiting the sights of London.
Their first hurdle was learning a new language. It’s English, but vastly different from the dialect of the Lone Star State. The Texans learned vital words such as “ablutions” and “scoff” — which meant latrines and chow respectively. A simple American “no problem, thank you” was known as “no dramas, cheers mate.”
Lt. Col. Houston said the unique language of the hosting unit was certainly noticeable.
“We joked that we’re two different people separated by a common language,” Houston said amusingly. “During our conversations, they’ll (the British personnel) tell us that they are the only ones speaking proper English.”
British instructor Color Sgt. Tiger Gardner, who has taught combat tactics to foreign militaries all over the world, said the exchange training experience teaches everyone a new military language as well.
“Many of the abbreviations are different,” explained Gardner after completing one of his weapons classes. “For example, our FRP means the final rendezvous point which is the same as the Americans saying ORP; their objective rally point. To overcome the confusion, the more often the British and American Soldiers can interface, the better.”
Experiencing
English Culture
Upon completion of their combat training, the T-Patchers packed up and headed north to London for once-in-a-lifetime experiences at The Tower of London and Buckingham Palace. Dressed in their finest uniforms, American officers and senior NCOs attended a British Army Regimental dinner and viewed the jeweled crowns from Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
The following day, a select group of enlisted infantrymen were honored with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Changing of the Queen’s Guards from inside the gates of the palace. The T-Patchers, dressed in their Class A uniforms, were watched by thousands of spectators as they marched to and from Buckingham Palace. Many of the spectators crowded near the entrances wondered who the special guests were and where they were from. After the prestigious ceremony, Sgt. Kyle Mallette of 2nd Bn., 142nd Inf., said it would be an unforgettable day.
“There’s so much history involved with everything they do,” he said. “It was a special event and I learned a lot. Some of the things they wear on their uniforms are as old as our country. It was so cool … I felt like a rock star.”
