An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | July 23, 2014

Michigan Army Guard kicks off XCTC training exercise, active component and Army Guard Soldiers train together

By Army Staff Sgt. Kimberly Bratic Michigan National Guard

LANSING, Mich. - Approximately 5,000 Soldiers from five states have converged on Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center, Michigan, to participate in an eXportable Combat Training Capability rotation where they are scheduled to conduct artillery live-fire tables, undergo react-to-contact drills and a variety of other tactical and technical scenarios.

This rotation marks the first time active component units will be integrated with reserve component units for validation during an XCTC rotation. The training exercise includes Army National Guard units from Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia as well as elements from the active component’s 10th Mountain Division. Personnel from First Army Division East are acting as observer/ controllers and evaluators during the exercise.

Units conducting training include:

  • 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment - New Hampshire Army National Guard
  • 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment - Michigan Army National Guard
  • 1st Battalion, 103rd Field Artillery Regiment - Rhode Island Army National Guard
  • 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery Regiment - Michigan Army National Guard
  • 1st Battalion, 201st Field Artillery Regiment - West Virginia Army National Guard
  • 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division - Fort Drum, New York

XCTC is a program of record that has been used by the Army National Guard since 2005 to train more than 11 combat and functional brigades and the melding of Army Guard and active component elements into the training is a first at Camp Grayling, officials said. That reflects the larger nature of deployments and real-world missions.

"After eleven and a half years of combat, we have to rely on each other," said Sgt. Maj. Phong Tran, an observer/controller with First Army Div. East. "This exercise reinforces that need."

During the three-week exercise, a variety of artillery rounds are scheduled to be fired including high-explosive, smoke and illumination rounds. Meanwhile, others Soldiers are scheduled to fire training munitions with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems while others will be firing 81mm and 120mm high-explosive and smoke mortar rounds. While all that is taking place, Soldiers must also react to direct contact by opposing forces with simulated small arms fire, simulated roadside bombs and complex attacks while testing casualty evacuation and vehicle recovery procedures.

 

 

Related Articles
The Republic of Zambia's Brig. Gen. Choonga Mutandalike speaks to senior leaders from the North Carolina National Guard, representatives from the Republics of Moldova, Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia at a hurricane response symposium in Raleigh, N.C. April 22, 2025. The symposium was part of a six-day event hosted by the National Guard’s State Partnership program, reviewing and sharing lessons learned from Hurricane Helene.
North Carolina Guard Welcomes SPP Partners to Hurricane Response Exercise
By Lt. Col. Ellis Parks, | April 25, 2025
RALEIGH, N.C. – Senior leaders from the North Carolina National Guard are hosting representatives from Moldova, Botswana, Malawi and Zambia this week for a hurricane response exercise. The six-day event, from April 21-26 in...

A HH-60M Black Hawk, assigned to Wyoming Army Aviation Support Facility, releases water during an interagency bucket drop training at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, on April 16, 2025. The training brought together Wyoming Aviation crews and partners including Wyoming State Forestry, Camp Guernsey Fire Department, Cheyenne Fire Rescue’s Wildland Team, Glendo Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Albany County Volunteer Fire Department, Yoder Volunteer Fire Department, Guernsey Rural Fire District, and the Platte County Fire Warden. The exercise was designed to sharpen skills like water bucket deployment, aerial coordination, and ground-to-air communications.
Wyoming Guard Aviators Sharpen Wildfire Response Skills in Training
By Staff Sgt. Cesar Rivas, | April 25, 2025
CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. – Wyoming Army National Guard aviators, in coordination with local and state firefighting agencies, conducted annual interagency bucket drop training April 16 at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center,...

Tech. Sgt. Franklin Angel, 105th Airlift Wing production recruiter, poses for a photo with his two Blue Suit Awards at Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York, April 22, 2025. The Blue Suit Award recognizes the 14 top-performing recruiters from around the world, including those in active duty, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve.
Meet the New York Air National Guard’s Record-Setting Recruiter
By Senior Airman Sarah Post, | April 23, 2025
STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. – One recruiter at the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing is standing out from his peers, having recruited more Airmen in 2024 than any other recruiter in the Air Force and...