Our moment has finally come. After months of preparation, months of training, and months of anticipation, the time has come for the 155th ABCT to prove its mettle to the world.

Unlike any brigade combat team of the past seven years, the 155th has been sub-jected to an aggressive and difficult litmus test

that not only assessed our ability to persevere, but also our ability to engage an enemy in a de-cisive fight while sustaining ourselves for more than 70 days. No brigade-sized element can prepare and execute a rotation at the National Training Center (NTC) in the Mohave Desert, rail its equipment back to home station, refit the fleet, then rail it to Fort Bliss, Texas, and exe-cute a decisive operation in such an austere and challenging environment as the 155th has done. All of this in less than a year’s time with limit-ed training time, reduced manning, constrained budget, and no spare parts on hand. Not since Operation Torch, 1924 in North Africa, has such a daunting task been undertaken.

The brigade is a learning and lethal organi-zation. The nation’s leaders have been moni-toring the 155’s progress and agree the brigade is ready. We cannot afford to lose any ground. The 155th is subject matter experts in being able to pass on lessons in the decisive fight. How-ever, as anyone knows, true experts never stop learning and developing. For the next time we find ourselves in a decisive effort situation, it will be as partnered mentors to nations within the ARCENT theater. All 155 Soldiers will find them-selves in ambassador roles and setting the ex-ample of how an organization reflects the values of its nation and what it means to be a Team.

This open concept of learning involves a combination of humility, confidence, and understanding that we only stand to better ourselves by assisting others. An extreme amount of trust and confidence has been bestowed on this brigade. This will be a moment which every Soldier will remember for the rest of his or her life. A moment in which families and communities will find pride. A moment in which the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team will leave a resounding and righteous impact on the other side of the world and the future.Dixie Thunder!Thunder 6

Volume 1 Issue 9 June 18, 2018

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THIS ISSUE

From the Top Pg. 1

Current News Pg. 1

Frontline Frames Pg. 2

Play It Safe Pg. 2

Chappy’s Chat Pg. 3

Air Assault Pg. 3

Mail Call Pg. 4

Thunder TimesA Bi-Monthly Chronicle of the

155th Armored Brigade Combat Team

Col. Robert D. Ferguson155th ABCT Commander

FROM THE TOP

Retired Maj. Gen. Augustus Collins adds a streamer on the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team colors during a Navy Unit Commendation ceremony at Fort Bliss Texas, June 09, 2018. The 155th received a Navy Unit Commendation for their Operation Iraqi Freedom III deployment from 2004-2006 as part of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson.)

155th ABCTFAMILY READINESS24 HOUR HOTLINE

601-313-0155

CURRENT NEWS

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FRONTLINE FRAMES

A Soldier with the 155th ABCT prepares equipmentto be shipped back to Mississippi via the railroad.

(Photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson) A Soldier with the 155th ABCT ground guides a vehicle onto a rail car at Ft. Bliss, Texas.

(Photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson)

A 155th ABCT M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle goes throug the wash rack at Ft. Bliss, Texas.

(Photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson)

A Soldier with the 155th ABCT washes a vehicle as retrograde operations continue at Ft. Bliss, Texas.

(Photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson)

SAFETY

FITNESS SAFETY

• THE PHYSICAL READINESS TRAINING/SPORTS CATEGORY IS CURRENTLY THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF NON-FATAL INJURIES WITH MOST OCCURRING ON DUTY (~66%)

• RUNNING/ JOGGING, BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL INJURIES TOP THE LIST

• ANKLES, KNEES, AND SHOULDERS ARE THE MOST COMMON AREAS AFFECTED

• FM 7-22: ARMY PHYSICAL READINESS TRAINING HTTP://WWW.APD.ARMY.MIL/

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During these early weeks and months of this mobilization, I have been thinking of the enormous sacrifice each and every one of you have made and are currently making to fulfill our nation’s mission. Allow me to briefly share the story of Chap-lain Emil Kapaun who served in the Korean War. While there have been numerous chaplains who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, his story stands out.

During the Battle of Unsan, CH (CPT) Kapaun served with the 3rd

Battalion of the 8th Cavalry Regiment. His BN was encircled by Chi-nese Communist forces and was greatly outnumbered, taking direct enemy fire. Rather than escaping while he could, he exposed himself repeadedly to reach soldiers who were pinned down to provide en-couragement, religious aid, first aid and even dug shallow fox holes for wounded soldiers who could not move. Those who Kapaun could move, he dragged to safety.

Eventually, they were captured and forced to march for several days. Kapaun refused to stop carrying the litter for wounded soldiers and encouraged his troops to continue on, despite exhaustion. They were imprisoned and Kapaun tirelessly worked to provide moral, spiritual and physical nourishment for his men by sneaking out at night to tactically acquire food for his soldiers. He freely gave his rations away and refused to stop preaching the Gospel to his men

in the face of the enemy. He was severely punished by his captors repeatedly, often being left naked in sub-zero temperatures. During mandatory reeducation, Kapaun was defiant and provided a sunrise mass on Easter Day for his soldiers in 1951. He was transferred to an unheated, filthy hospital where he died alone on 23 May 1951.

Chaplain Kapaun demonstrated Jesus’ words from John 15:12-13, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Thinking of his sacrifice, he did just that – he laid down his life for his soldiers, who he loved. We have all joined together for our cause, and I hope and pray that there will be none among us who have to make that level of sacrifice. But still, we do sacrifice many things to make our mission possible. We sacrifice our lives with our loved ones, jobs, friends and innumerable other things. Thank you for what you do.

I want to also remind you that your loved ones, families and friends have made a sacrifice too. They did not choose for you to be deployed, so we must honor their sacrifice in your absence. I have a pregnant wife and three young children, and I am acutely aware of the toll mobilizations have on families. Please remember them, as many of them have had to let go of a huge portion of their lives – YOU – for ten to twelve months. It is a mountain of a task, one that we must honor. God bless you all.Swift and Deadly!CH Triesch1-18 CAV

Capt. Jeff TrieschChaplain, 1-18 CAV

“Air Assault!”

CHAPPY’S CHAT

A mobilization can be a challeng-ing time for Soldiers. Guardsmen with the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team prepare for deploy-ment with more than 70 days in the New Mexico desert.

During mobilization, there is lim-ited downtime between weapons qualifications, field exercises and administrative responsibilities. Sol-diers throughout the brigade chose to take advantage of their downtime

by participating in an air assault course given by the Iron Training Detachment at Fort Bliss, Texas.

“I didn’t have family coming down for my pass,” said Spc. Joel Coursey, an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry Regiment. “I decided I might as well come to air assault training and better myself.”

The Soldiers jump right into it from day one.“We had a bunch of physical activity such as hiking, a two-mile

run, and an obstacle course on the first day,” said Spc. James Stuart, an infantryman with Detachment 1, Headquarters Com-pany, 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry Regiment.

The school consists of written tests, sling-load training, and rappelling. This helps to prepare the students for obstacles they might face throughout their military career.

“It adds a level of discipline and pride,” said Coursey. “It’s something for people to strive for.”

The Air Assault Course is just one of many offered by the Iron Training Detachment. Since the Guardsmen were already at Fort Bliss for mobilization, their leadership was able to work with ITD to get them into the course.

As the Soldiers finish up the last few days of the course and prepare to go overseas, they can take what they’ve learned and pass it on to their units. This will help them be ready for any chal-lenges they may face throughout their deployment.

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PartingShot

A Soldier with 106th SPT holds her battalion colors during the 155th ABCT Navy Unit

Commendation ceremony at Fort Bliss, June 9, 2018.