FORGING THE WARRIOR SPIRIT THE JRTC & FORT POLK GUARDIAN Vol. 47, No. 38 Home of Heroes @ Fort Polk, LA Sept. 25, 2020 Neither rain, nor wind, nor COVID-19 Will keep JRTC from its mission of building readiness J R T C O P E R A T I O N S G R O U P The Joint Readiness Training Center’s primary mission is to train Army In - fantry Brigade Combat Teams to fight and win the nation’s wars. The Bas - togne Soldiers of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air As - sault) learned that even a hurricane, tropical storm and health pandemic does not deter the dedicated Soldiers and trainer of JRTC Operations Group from providing the best training Soldiers can receive as training continues after Hurricane Laura, Tropical Storm Beta and despite the COVID-19 pandem - ic. For more photos of the Bastogne Soldiers training during JRTC Rotation 20-10 see page 8 of today’s Guardian. Weekend weather Inside the Guardian 86 87 85 Schools receive grant .. 3 Pink time ................. 9 POW/MIA events ........ 5 Justice Beat ............. 10 67 64 62 Rain chance Rain chance Rain chance 30% 30% 20% Gold Star moms ......... 7 Bayou reopens .......... 11 Saturday Sunday Monday VViieewwppooiinntt In our view Guardian staff asked the JRTC and Fort Polk community, "As a child, what did you think would be awesome about being an adult, but in reality wasn’t as awesome as you thought it would be?" Guardian Here are their responses: Editorial Staff Brig. Gen. Patrick D. Frank Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk commanding general Col. Ryan K. Roseberry Garrison commander Kim Reischling Public affairs officer Chuck Cannon Command information officer Christy Graham Editor Angie Thorne T.C. Bradford Keith Houin Sgt. Luis Quintanilla: “I Breanna Prothe: “When I Staff Sgt. Michael Jackson: Jean Clavette Graves thought being more inden - was a kid, I thought having “It was all about having more Staff writers dent would be great, but then my own debit or credit card freedom. When I was a kid I Editorial Offices I had to start paying bills and would be wonderful because had to go to bed at a certain Building 4919, Magnolia Street dealing with responsibilities.” I thought it was free money ... time or follow a curfew as I Fort Polk, LA 71459-5060 not so much.” got older. I thought I wouldn’t Voice (337) 531-4033 have to worry about that any Fax (337) 531-1401 more once I grew up. As an adult, I’ve found that my life Email: [email protected] has become even more re - Fort Polk Homepage strictive and structured.” home.army.mil/polk/ The Guardian , is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of the Guardian are not necessarily official views of, or en - dorsed by, the U.S. Government, De - partment of Defense, Department of the Army or Fort Polk. The Guardian is published weekly by the Public Affairs Office, Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk. The Guardian can be found on the JRTC and Fort Polk web site at home.army.mil.polk and the JRTC and Fort Polk Facebook page at @JRTCandFortPolk/. Guardian archives can also be found on the JRTC and Fort Polk website. Links to the Guardian are also in - Pvt. Bryce Clinton: “As a Spc. Matthew McGee: “I Cpl. Matthew Casten: “I cluded in all-users emails to govern - child, I thought not being told thought it would be fun to thought it would be great to ment email users and by request to what to do and setting my drive, but really it’s stressful never have to take another non-military units. To be included on because of all the traffic.” all-users messages email own rules would be great. nap. Now I’m an adult and I kimberly.k.reischling.civ@ But I’ve found as an adult, kind of wish I could.” mail.mil . that you still have to answer All editorial content of the Guardian is prepared, edited, pro - to people. I have responsibili - vided and approved by the Public Af - ties to my job and children. I fairs Office, Joint Readiness Training wish I had enjoyed the free - Center and Fort Polk. doms I had back then a little For more information on Fort Polk units and happenings visit the follow - bit more.” ing Facebook pages: @JRTCOpera - tionsGrp , @BayneJonesACH or @fortpolkmwr . Guardian 2/ Sept. 25, 2020 NNeewwSSccooppee Briefs Catfish Derby The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk hosts the 2020 Catfish Derby Sat - urday from 7-11 a.m. at Catfish Cove on Fort Polk. Participants should include a child 15 or younger. Recommended limit is eight fish per child. Please bring your own fishing equipment. Prizes are awarded to children who catch a tagged fish. Children can pick a prize of their choice in the order in which they bring their tags to the check in area. Prizes will also be raf - fled off throughout the morning. K E Please note that masks I T H Leesville High School is one of five Vernon Parish schools to benefit and social distancing are H O mandatory for this event. from a $7.5 million Department of Defense grant to develop technology- U I N / Requirement to wear masks is enhanced learning centers. The other schools are: Leesville Junior High, G U while walking around the park and pond Pickering High, Pickering Elementary and Vernon Middle schools. A R areas (not while fishing). D I A Parking for the event is at Allen Memo - N rial Library parking lot. No parking is al - lowed along Louisiana, Colorado or Utah avenues. Wyoming Avenue will be closed DoD pilot program aids five area schools to through traffic. Catfish Cove is closed to fishing until LOUISIANA.GOV vide a 10 percent match for the Department of the start of the event. Defense award, which will enhance Leesville BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. John Bel Ed - High, Leesville Junior High, Pickering High, DG app wards announced the U.S. Department of De - Pickering Elementary and Vernon Middle The Army’s new Digital Garrison mobile fense has awarded more than $7.5 million to de - schools. app is now available for Fort Polk. The DG velop technology-enhanced learning centers at “This grant is going to be a huge benefit to the app, which can be down - five Vernon Parish schools that serve thousands military students who attend Vernon Parish loaded on Android and of families supported by the U.S. Army's Fort schools,” said Col. Apple devices, gives Polk. Ryan Roseberry, users access to resources A pilot program, the Defense Community In - Fort Polk’s garri - about their local ex - frastructure Program, addresses quality of life son commander. change, Morale, Welfare enhancements in military communities. More “At Fort Polk, edu - and Recreation pro - than 2,000 Fort Polk military children attend Ver - cation is one of the grams, facility informa - non Parish schools and make up nearly a quarter top priorities in tion, direct links to on- of district enrollment. The Campus Connections our quality of life post housing entities and and Learning Spaces project will provide chil - efforts for Soldiers other services. The app is dren of military and civilian families with state- and Families. Tech - portable among numer - of-the-art indoor and outdoor learning environ - nology and infra - ous installations. ments that feature state-of-the-art wireless com - structure are key Users can customize the app to meet munications, digital displays and interactive Roseberry factors in provid - their needs, and it is set to receive improve - learning tools. ing a top-notch ed - ments through daily updates. “We are grateful for this Department of De - ucation. We are grateful to the Department of De - The local JRTC and Fort Polk app is no fense investment in the future of all children in fense, the Louisiana Economic Development and longer in use as the new Digital Garrison the Leesville and Vernon Parish community that the state of Louisiana.” mobile app replaces it. is home to Fort Polk,” Edwards said. “This elite “The Vernon Parish School System is very ex - Army training post has an annual economic im - cited and grateful to be the recipient of the DCIP e-Guardian email list pact in Louisiana of over $1.8 billion and directly grant to enhance education for our families,” Su - employs more than 20,000 people. Through in - perintendent James Williams said. “This grant If you’re interested in receiving the vestments in infrastructure and education, the money will be a valuable asset to improve our weekly e-Guardian to your inbox, then State of Louisiana will continue to commit our academic facilities and our technology capabili - please send your personal email address to resources and deliver the quality of life that the ties. We’re thankful to the Department of De - [email protected] , and Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk fense, the Governor’s Office, LED, our state rep - you’ll be placed on the distribution list. truly deserve.” Louisiana Economic Development will pro - Please see Grant , page 7 Guardian Sept. 25, 2020 /3 AArrmmyy nneewwss DoD anticipates significant troop reduction in Afghanistan By C. TODD LOPEZ Army News Service WASHINGTON — Based on the current con - ditions in Afghanistan, the Defense Department expects there will be fewer than 5,000 U.S. mili - tary service members in that country by the end of November, said David F. Helvey, who is cur - rently performing the duties of assistant secre - tary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.