New Recruits practice urban warfare techniques

Cape Girardeau, Mo. -- Soldiers in the Recruit Sustainment Program in Cape Girardeau recently practiced clearing a building as part of the military operations in urban terrain, or MOUT, training.

Divided into groups of four to seven, the Soldiers took turns formulating entry plans and clearing the building.

The Soldiers stand back to back. Their rifles at the ready, feet locked into position and eyes focused on the door into the building they are about to raid.

The first Soldier reaches back and taps the second Soldier. The second Soldier taps the third. The third taps the fourth, who sends it back up to the first. They're ready. Together they rush into the room.

The first Soldier goes to his immediate left, scanning across his field of vision. The second Soldier goes to his immediate right, checking his half of the room. The third Soldier goes just to the left of the doorway, surveying the ceiling. The fourth Soldier enters, swivels 180 degrees, crouches against the doorframe and secures the entrance.

Inside the Soldiers engage enemy combatants and slowly clear the building room by room. When their mission is complete they assess their tactics and do the mission again.

To make the training even more realistic the Soldiers use paintball guns and are critiqued by several recruiters at the end of each mission.

"You have to train like you fight," Staff Sgt. Clinton Petty, recruiter at the Sikeston armory, told the Soldiers. "If you're a military policeman you'll always have some sort of security mission whether it's downrange, overseas or at home. And even if you're an engineer or mechanic or anything else, these skills are imperative for every kind of Soldier."

Soldiers in the RSP are new recruits learning basic Soldiering skills to better prepare them for boot camp and the transition into their units.

For many this is their first time at the MOUT site and getting to use weapons with paintball ammunition.

"It was fun," said Pfc. Terry Moreland, of Benton. "We got to use almost real weapons and come up with ways to beat a fake enemy."

For Pvt. Jason Alvin, the training gives him an idea of what to expect as a military policeman about to go to basic training.

"It's a good way to really get into doing our job and prepares us for what we're going to be doing," said Alvin, of Morley.

The training is also good for those about to go to their new units.

"It's a good refresher," said Pvt. Matthew Robertson, of Cape Girardeau. "Its fun but you pick up on things you might have forgotten or teach someone new something."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites: www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.myspace.com/missouri_ng; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard; www.blog.moguard.com