Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Polish Land Forces attend Idaho National Guard tank training By Crystal Farris,
                Idaho Army National Guard
 BOISE, Idaho – Polish soldiers attended Idaho National Guard M1 Abrams tank training in October and November to observe best practices as Polish Land Forces seek to develop their own training capability. The Polish military — a U.S. ally, NATO member and official state partner of the Illinois National Guard — wants to buy a fleet of M1A2 SEPv3 tanks and is working through the State Department and the Department of Defense to identify opportunities to partner in armor crewmember training. The Illinois National Guard and the Republic of Poland enjoy an enduring relationship under the State Partnership Program focused on professional military education, crisis management and response and operational training and combat deployments. However, the Illinois National Guard does not operate the M1 tank, so the Idaho National Guard is assisting. The Idaho Army National Guard’s 204th Regional Training Institute at Gowen Field specializes as an armor training schoolhouse, delivering curriculum to U.S. military armor students. During the visit, schoolhouse instructors and armor experts provided training and insight for Polish soldiers. “The 1st of the 204th Armored Training Battalion is the only National Guard battalion that teaches a full catalog of armored training courses,” said Maj. Noah Siple, commander. “We are credentialed to be the premier armored training battalion of the National Guard. Couple that with our Orchard Combat Training Center and our ranges for armor-specific training, there is really no better place to go to.” The battalion has provided armored training since the 1980s and offers various 19D and 19K courses, including a tank commander’s course and advanced leadership course. A portion of the curriculum requires students to train in the 143,000-acre OCTC, one of the country’s largest and most versatile maneuver training sites, about 25 miles south of Boise. Polish officers and warrant officers serving in various positions, including chief of planning and programming; logistician and fires experts; and company level officers, attended the battalion’s 19K transition course. Soldiers also attending the course from the Idaho, Kansas, Oregon and Texas National Guards had the opportunity to interface with the Polish soldiers before graduating Nov. 22. The 27-day course is designed for enlisted members in the ranks of sergeant and staff sergeant. The platoon-level coursework provides training in the technical and tactical skills to employ the M1A1 SA MTB or M1A2 SEP tank against enemy positions during unified land operations. While Poland operates the T-72 and P-91 tanks, the M1A1 and M1A2 offers an array of operational differences and capabilities, said Sgt. 1st Class Lucas Kaserman, the 19K transition course manager. “We integrated the Polish soldiers as much as possible into the training course to give them many of the same opportunities we give our U.S. students,” said Kaserman. “They already have a familiarity with tanks, which was helpful. However, the M1 is a different kind of tank with a lot of new things to learn.” Throughout the course, Polish members took turns rotating through the driver, loader, gunner and commander crew stations; participated in tank simulators where they operated as both tank commander and gunner while engaging simulated targets; and conducted live-fire familiarization in the OCTC, where they fired different weapon systems of the tank, including an M240 and .50-caliber machine gun. They also spent time with course experts and senior leaders of the Idaho Army National Guard, including its 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, an M1 tank unit, to discuss best practices in implementing their own armor training course once returning to Poland. “They came here to experience first-hand training with the M1A2 SEPv2 Abrams tank and to understand how we train and construct courses for Soldiers becoming tankers in the U.S. military,” said Siple. “Not only did they have that opportunity and are leaving here with lived experience to implement their own training, but they also got to engage and build relationships with all elements of the Idaho Army National Guard to continue building those capabilities in the future.” In November, senior leaders from the Polish Land Forces and Illinois National Guard visited Idaho to observe course training and what the 1-204th RTI offers. The visitors had the opportunity to tour some of the Idaho Army National Guard’s facilities, equipment and its OCTC, in addition to engaging with Idaho’s leadership and armor experts.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 Details about the State Partnership Program
  News about the State Partnership Program
 Idaho National Guard
 Illinois National Guard
 Kansas National Guard
 Texas National Guard
 Oregon National Guard
 State Partnership Program
 Poland
 
 Idaho Guard, Firefighters Practice Water Hoist Rescues
 By Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur,
  New Jersey, Delaware, Idaho Guard Conduct Interagency Training
 By Mark Olsen,
  Washington Guard Team Takes Honors at Biathlon Championship
 By Joseph Siemandel,
  More
 Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise5/3/2024Massachusetts Guard Helps Host Crisis Leadership Seminar5/2/2024Massachusetts Air Guard Airmen Test New Air Combat Tactics5/2/2024 View more Guard News »
 Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School5/3/2024
New York Army Guard Soldiers Heading to North Africa4/30/2024
Pennsylvania National Guard Members Deploy to Africa4/19/2024 View more Overseas Operations News »
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership5/3/2024

Guard Leaders Stress NCOs Role in State Partnership Program5/3/2024

Enduring Partners 2024 Begins with Thai-US Airmen Exchange5/2/2024 View more State Partnership Program News »
 Back-to-school tools for military families8/11/2015DoD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress6/16/2015First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses5/11/2015 View more Family Programs News »
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil