Missouri Army National Guardsman Sgt. Kevin Ackley, of Grant City, is nearing the end of training at Camp Atterbury and looking forward to his next phase of training in Germany to support the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
Ackley and his fellow Soldiers with Battery A, 1-129th Field Artillery recently started operating on a 24-hour cycle. As the noncommissioned officer in charge of the night shift, Ackley has had to make adjustments to the new schedule. Once in Kosovo, he will remain on the night shift. As training gets more intense, Ackley sees a lot of improvement in the way his team operates.
"It seems like the squads have come together a whole lot better, especially after getting maced," said Ackley.
Ackley makes light of the effects of being doused with pepper spray and tazered, but acknowledges that it is a vital part of his training.
"If you use non-lethal weapons, you have to have them used on you," said Ackley. "You need to know the side effects."
Instructors hook up the tazer to the Soldiers’ boots, they lock arms with their buddy and then receive 50,000 volts. It last for only a few seconds, but Ackley said the memories linger for a lifetime.
"I would rather get tazed a hundred times than sprayed with pepper spray though," said Ackley.
During training, Soldiers receive a squirt of pepper spray across the forehead to experience the effects. They then must complete some soldiering tasks while under the disorienting spray to fulfill the exercise. They have to show they are able to still function if they come in contact with the non-lethal liquid.
"If a cop ever threatens to mace you, go ahead and lay on the ground," said Ackley. "Six hours after the fact, you’re still feeling the effects."
After Atterbury, the Soldiers will finish their training in Hohenfels, Germany before heading to Kosovo.
For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.
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