South Dakota National Guard 

Public Affairs Office 

2823 West Main St. 

Rapid City, S.D. 57702 

Phone 605-737-6721 

E-mail PAO@sd.ngb.army.mil

June 16, 2008 

SDNG-PA-06-16A-08 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Paintballs simulate bullets at urban assault course 

By Pvt. Alex Abraham, 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment 

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Soldiers utilized paintball gear as part of the realistic urban warfare 

training they received Thursday, June 12, at West Camp Rapid. 

The Army Reserve’s 475th Quartermaster Battalion of Farell, Pa., and the 330th Medical 

Brigade of Fort Sheridan, Ill., were instructed in the tactics of urban combat during the Military 

Operations in Urban Terrain class at this year’s Golden Coyote training exercise. 

Soldiers attended classroom training to familiarize themselves with the basic fundamentals, and 

then had the opportunity to practice their techniques before engaging in the actual training lane 

consisting of an imitation village, mock civilians and hidden enemies. 

“The MOUT course is designed to be as realistic as possible, with unexpected attacks, unknown 

locations of enemies, and an indefinite number of hostile civilians,” said Capt. Roger Ogden, an 

instructor for the course. “This is done to ensure an unpredictable exercise, keeping the students 

on their toes.” 

Soldiers are expected to know the proper procedures and possible complications that occur in 

today’s urban battlefields, Ogden added. 

Once the unit members were ready to progress to the training lane, they were outfitted with 

paintball guns and safety masks and split into teams, where they applied their newly-acquired 

urban warfare techniques against the instructors, themselves. 

The weapons they used may have been imitation, but the training the Soldiers received was very 

real. 

“Most of the instructors are experienced infantrymen, military police, and combat arms 

specialists – all of whom have a vast amount of knowledge to share with the troops,” said Staff 

Sgt. David Elliston, a MOUT instructor and former infantryman. 
This training has become an increasingly important part of standard Army preparation for all 

Soldiers, especially new trainees or those about to deploy, said Elliston. 

 “This training is very important,” said Elliston. “It’s my duty to ensure these students survive, 

and each one who comes back from deployment is a sign that I’m doing it right.” 

-30- 

High resolution photos will be available at the following Web site: 

LINK: https://sdguard.ngb.army.mil/sites/GC2008/default.aspx

Photo Cut Lines: 

080612-A-3900A-322.JPG: Army Reserve Soldiers of the 330th Medical Brigade, Fort 

Sheridan, Ill., practice their urban combat techniques before the ‘live fire’ portion of the Military 

Operations in Urban Terrain training course Thursday, June 12, at West Camp Rapid, Rapid 

City, S.D., during the 2008 Golden Coyote exercise. The MOUT course familiarizes Soldiers 

with the proper procedures and possible complications that occur in today’s urban battlefields. 

(Army National Guard photo by Pvt. Alex Abraham) (RELEASED) 

080612-F-3622Z-076.JPG: Staff Sgt. Rasheedah Williams, a Reservist with the 330th Medical 

Brigade, Fort Sheridan, Ill., practices scanning her sector for enemy activity before participating 

in the ‘live fire’ portion of the Military Operations in Urban Terrain training course Thursday, 

June 12, at West Camp Rapid, Rapid City, S.D., as part of the 2008 Golden Coyote exercise. The 

MOUT course familiarizes Soldiers with the proper procedures and possible complications that 

occur in today’s urban battlefields. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cassie Zickmund) 

(RELEASED) 

080612-F-3622Z-325.JPG: Army Reserve Soldiers of the 330th Medical Brigade, Fort Sheridan, 

Ill., anticipate enemy activity as they participate in the ‘live fire’ portion of the Military 

Operations in Urban Terrain training course Thursday, June 12, at West Camp Rapid, Rapid 

City, S.D., as part of the 2008 Golden Coyote exercise. The MOUT course familiarizes Soldiers 

with the proper procedures and possible complications that occur in today’s urban battlefields. 

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cassie Zickmund) (RELEASED) 

Location of South Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office: 

2823 West Main Street 

Building 400 

Rapid City, SD 57702-8186 

(605) 737-6721 

MEDIA WISHING TO EMBED are asked to RSVP with Maj. Orson Ward at (605) 737-

6721, cell (605) 431-8753 or via E-mail at orson.ward@us.army.mil. 
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION about the South Dakota National Guard, please visit our 

Web site at https://sdguard.ngb.army.mil/default.aspx

NOTE: The South Dakota National Guard will host the annual Golden Coyote exercise from 

June 7 – 21 in the southern Black Hills. More than 4,000 service members from 92 units 

representing 27 states and four foreign nations are participating in the exercise. The Golden 

Coyote exercise has been conducted for the past 24 years. The exercise provides relevant training 

opportunities in support of the war on terror and homeland defense. 

Residents should be aware of an increase in military traffic throughout the Black Hills and an 

increase in the level of noise due to military operations. Aviation activity will be operating out of 

Camp Rapid and the Army Aviation Support Facility next to the Rapid City Regional Airport. 

Aircraft will be primarily training on equipment and personnel transport missions as well as 

medical evacuation. Aircraft will respond to real-world emergencies during the exercise and 

remain in an all-hours-ready status during the exercise. 

Spectators to military training are welcome, however caution is warranted and spectators are 

asked to remain at a safe distance from all moving military vehicles and aircraft to prevent injury 

to personnel or damage to property.