– Just weeks after send-off ceremonies across Iowa, nearly 4,000 Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers are deep into one of the most rigorous
and realistic training experiences the U.S. Army offers—the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. This training is part of an intensified cycle tied to our annual summer training, which our Soldiers undergo to maintain readiness and sharpen their skills.
This large-scale annual training event includes the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, and the nearly 1,800 Soldiers from across the state preparing for an upcoming mobilization in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The JRTC experience replicates conditions Soldiers may face during deployment, from complex tactical operations to real-time logistical support. It is one of the final validation steps before a unit is deemed ready to deploy.
Brigadier General Derek Adams, Iowa’s Land Component Commander, emphasizes the importance of this training: “This training is the best and most difficult that the army has to offer. And so if you train on the most difficult scenarios against the toughest adversary, you’re
prepared to do any operation that would be called upon for the unit.”
Colonel Tony Smithhart, Commander of the 734th Regional Support Group (RSG), noted the magnitude of support required to sustain this level of training. “The scale of this operation is critical to the development of our Soldiers. It’s been called a generational training opportunity, and I believe that’s accurate.”
“None of us could do this without the support of our families, neighbors and friends,” Brig. Gen. Adams added. “We recognize the sacrifice that families go through for Soldiers to be able to be a part of the Army National Guard and to contribute to the national security of the United States.”
