CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Soldiers assigned to the Wyoming Army National Guard’s 307th Engineer Utilities Detachment partnered with Habitat for Humanity during an Innovative Readiness Training, or IRT, project May 9, combining military engineer training with community support by helping construct homes for local residents.
The project in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is part of the Department of War Innovative Readiness Training program, which allows military units to support civilian agencies and nonprofit organizations while conducting mission-essential training.
“This will be our fifth IRT project over the last seven years,” said Capt. Kyle Schinkel, commander of the 307th Engineer Utilities Detachment. “This is our first time working with Habitat for Humanity, and it takes our mission to the next level because we’re building homes for actual Wyoming residents.”
Schinkel said the project allows Soldiers to directly apply the same engineering skills they use in their military occupational specialties while leaving a lasting impact on the community.
“One thing that separates our unit is our ability to impact our communities,” Schinkel said. “We get to deliver products that are used by Wyoming citizens and American citizens, and these duplexes will be here for generations to come.”
The 307th Engineer Utilities Detachment includes Soldiers trained in multiple construction trades, including carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. During the project, Soldiers performed duties directly aligned with their military engineering responsibilities while also fulfilling mission-essential training requirements.
According to Schinkel, the mission also strengthened the unit’s readiness by simultaneously exercising deployment and construction operations.
“While we’re helping the community, we’re also training to the standard the Army expects from us,” Schinkel said. “It’s killing two birds with one stone.”
In addition to the work taking place in Cheyenne, Soldiers from the unit also supported horizontal construction missions at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center, conducting roadway repairs, culvert replacements and firebreak operations.
Schinkel said partnerships with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity provide Soldiers with meaningful opportunities to use their skills while improving morale and retention within the unit.
“When Soldiers get to do the job they signed up for and see the direct impact of their work, that creates a sense of fulfillment,” Schinkel said. “They can look at these homes years from now and say they helped build them.”
As members of the Wyoming Army National Guard, Schinkel said Soldiers serve both military and community roles throughout the state.
“We’re not just Army Soldiers – we’re Wyoming National Guardsmen,” Schinkel said. “We’re here to serve Wyoming communities, and projects like this highlight what our Soldiers are capable of.”
Many of the Soldiers participating in the project also work in the construction industry in their civilian careers, bringing additional expertise to the mission.
“Our Soldiers bring real-world trade skills into these projects,” Schinkel said. “That combination of civilian experience and military training allows us to deliver high-quality work for the communities we serve.”
The two-week project will continue through mid-May as Soldiers from the 307th Engineer Utilities Detachment work alongside Habitat for Humanity volunteers to help complete homes for Cheyenne-area residents.