La. Guard’s assistant adjutant general visits 139th annual training

By Staff Sgt. Scott D. Longstreet, HHD 139th Regional Support Group

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. –The Louisiana National Guard’s 139th Regional Support Group welcomed Maj. Gen. Barry P. Keeling, the assistant adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, to their annual training at Camp Shelby, in Hattiesburg, June 11, as he toured various training locations throughout Camp Shelby and met with the Soldiers.

During annual training, Soldiers honed their skills with mission specific tasks as well as learned about any new technology. Camp Shelby, with its close proximity to Louisiana and quality training site locations is a perfect choice for Louisiana National Guard Soldiers.

“Camp Shelby has some great training facilities to enhance our Soldier’s training experiences,” Keeling said. “It is great to have everything in one location and being this close to Louisiana is a plus.”

Some of the training sites included the Virtual Combat Online Trainer, and the Dismounted Soldier Trainer System. The 139th’s 773rd Military Police Battalion also participated in a unit combative refresher course.

“We were training with a shock knife today,” said Staff Sgt. Thomas Dubois, from the 199th 199th Regiment (Regional Training Institute) at Camp Minden, La. “These knives simulate the actual effects of knife fighting. You get the idea of how challenging knife fights can be in close combat.”

Keeling’s final stop was at the live-fire range to watch Soldiers qualify on their issued weapons.

Officially recognized as a major command in 2005, the 139th RSG is a multi-functional organization consisting of transportation, maintenance, communications, medical, military band, military police and military intelligence units.