SPRINGFIELD, IL (02/26/2015)(readMedia)-- Soldiers from all over the state converged on Camp Lincoln Feb. 22 for the annual Adjutant General's Combatives Tournament hosted by the Illinois Army National Guard's Modern Army Combatives Team.

The two-day tournament had bouts in eight weight divisions from 105 pounds to more than 205 pounds. Preliminary rounds use the Modern Army Combative Program standard rules where competitors start in a standing position and work to take down and submit their opponent. The finals follow the MACP intermediate rules where the goal is the same, but allow competitors to use openhanded strikes to the face, closed hand strikes to the body, kicks, and knees to the lower extremities.

"The prelim rounds are double elimination, six minute bouts in each class and we use the standard competition rules," Master Sgt. James Frick of Herrin, Illinois, Headquarters, operations non-commissioned officer with the 129th Regional Training Institute and combatives team member said. "Then, when we get to the finals, they get to have a little more fun. They follow the intermediate rules where they can strike and they fight a single elimination, 10 minute bout."

Three teams brought more 50 competitors to the tournament. Medals were awarded to the top three finishers in each weight division and the tournament trophy was given to the top finishing team.

Tournament Results:

Team Results:

1. 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry - 329 points

2. 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade - 230 points

3. 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry - 125 points

Individual Results:

110 lb. Weight Division

1. Spc. Alma Ruff, Osewgo, Illinois, 135th Chemical Company

125 lb. Weight Class

1. Pvt. 1st Class Christopher Denning, Rock Falls, Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

2. Pvt. 1st Class Eliah Wence, Lakemoor, Illinois, 135th Chemical Company

3. Spc. Kamisha Bell, Carterville, Illinois, Co. E, 634th Brigade Services Battalion

140 lb. Weight Division

1. Spc. Gabriel Gloria, Sterling, Illinois, Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

2. Spc. Brock Scoggins, Carterville, Illinois, Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry

3. Sgt. Ricardo Brambila, Berwyn, Illinois, Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

155 lb. Weight Division

1. Spc. Seth Pilkington, Carthage, Illinois, 233rd Military Police Company

2. Cdt. Samuel Russ, Round Lake, Illinois, 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Signal

3. Sgt. 1st. Class Arkan Chehade, Wayne, Illinois, 108th Multifunctional Medical Battalion

170 lb. Weight Division

1. 2nd Lt. Ross Cooper, Gillespie, Illinois, 3637th Maintenance Company

2. Spc. Roberto Leal, Streamwood, Illinois, 1244th Transportation Company

3. Spc. Jose Roman, Dekalb, Illinois, Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery

185 lb. Weight Division

1. Staff Sgt. Bryan Helfrich, Dixon, Illinois, 333rd Military Police Company

2. Pvt. 1st Class Andino Medina, LaGrange Park, Illinois, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

3. Pvt. 1st Class Ivan Gonzalez, Berwyn, Illinois, Headquarters, Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery

205 lb. Weight Division

1. Sgt. Logan Weir, Monmouth, Illinois, Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 44th Chemical Battalion

2. Spc. Brock Tedrick, Dixon, Illinois, Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

3. Sgt. Zechariah Johnson, Mount Morris, Illinois, Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

Heavyweight Division (over 205 lb.)

1. Pvt. Carlos Brown, Peoria, Illinois, Company A, 405th Brigade Support Battalion

2. Spc. Steven McMahon, Streamwood, Illinois, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

3. Sgt. Michael Rynearson, Lewiston, Illinois, 444th Combat Support Chemical Company

SPRINGFIELD, IL (02/25/2015)(readMedia)-- MACOMB, Ill. - In the mid-morning hours a freight train carrying chemical agents passes through the sleepy college town of Macomb, Illinois. Without warning, near a railhead, the train derails sending three tanker cars full of potentially harmful sodium cyanide crashing to the earth. This scenario is the backdrop for Western Response 2015, a multi-agency exercise in Macomb, Illinois.

These are the situations the Illinois National Guard's 5th Civil Support Team (CST) trains for. The CST is a specified domestic operations unit comprised of highly trained Soldiers and Airmen that integrates with local authorities to respond to chemical, nuclear, biological, and radiological threats.

The goal for this exercise was to allow local first responders and authorities to establish an operations center and integrate state-level resources into response operations. Though Western Response was a smaller scale exercise involving the Macomb and Galesburg police and fire departments as well as the 5th CST, it was still valuable training.

Maj. Travis Humphrey of Washington, Illinois, 5th CST deputy commander, said he enjoyed the opportunity to work at the smaller scale.

"Typically, we exercise at a much larger level. It's planned and executed at the national level and when we get on scene, we speak to someone who's not usually a local," said Humphrey. "I like this because you get the National Incident Management System experience and you get to talk to the local guys who know the area and give good input on staging and integration."

Normally, local hazardous materials teams would respond to and contain an incident of this scale. The exercise had local first responders containing the incident and the 5th CST conducting decontamination operations.

Sgt. Andrea Boggs, of Springfield, Illinois, 5th CST human resources non-commissioned officer and decontamination team member, said she saw benefit in the exercise as well.

"This is a great exercise to get used to integrating and working with civilian agencies," said Boggs. "It allows us to train with local agencies and it allows them to see what's available to them in a real-world incident."

Maj. Marc Wright, of Peoria, Illinois, 5th CST commander, echoed the comments of his team members.

"Given the scale, it was a great opportunity for training and awareness for the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System and local departments," he said. "While local HAZMAT is fully capable of handling an incident of this magnitude, it's always good for them to get an idea of the state-level assets that are available to them in an incident."

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CAMP ATTREBURY, IND. (02/19/2015)(readMedia)-- It's a moonless night. Icy wind rips its way across the cold, muddy gravel and slaps itself tirelessly against the sides of a large tan tent ringed by grumbling generators and pale yellow lights.

This dusty dome is home-away-from-home for the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) based in Normal, Ill., which is pushing to the finish of the 2015 Warfighter exercise - a two-week strategic exercise conducted from Jan.26 - Feb.13 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. The exercise included more than 3,000 servicemembers from the Army and Air National Guard, Army Reserves, Active Army and Canadian Forces.

The 404th assisted the 38th Infantry Division as part of a devastating - although simulated - counter-invasion campaign to eject an aggressor nation from a neighboring country in need of help.

Master Sgt. José Guererro from Grayslake, Illinois, with the headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), 404th MEB and the operations night-shift noncommissioned officer-in-charge, says he still isn't used to the computers or the shelter.

"I came up with the Cold War training, you know?" said Guerrero, who is one of the few in the 404th with extensive training on the new systems. "From the rifles-and-radios era to now with battle chat rooms and computer-to-computer calls, is kind of mind blowing."

A major focus of the 404th's Warfighter preparation the last two years was learning and integrating a suite of tracking systems and tools known collectively as the Command Post of the Future (CPOF). While active duty units get to spend weeks, if not months, with the system, National Guard units like the 404th get a level of experience best measured in days.

Maj. Loren Easter of Chatham, Illinois, with the headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), 404th MEB estimated he has spent 15 of his 19 military years in a command post environment. Easter, the operations executive officer, said the learning curve for new technology is one of the 404th's biggest challenges.

"Finally getting to see the capabilities of CPOF here at Warfighter has been great," said Easter. "Back in the analog days... everything was straightforward, standard, and familiar. Now, unless you're that one guy who's the computer wizard, you're never comfortable. When the latest and greatest is constantly changing, it puts the entire command post behind the power curve."

First Sgt. Ryan Crews of Mt. Vernon, with the headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), 404th MEB agreed it can be tough to keep pace with development.

"We're sitting in a parking lot and I can pull down secure email from anywhere. I can hardly believe that," said Crews, who began his career working on antiquated Vietnam-era vacuum-tube radios, "The change is exponential - the longer we go, the faster it comes, and it's hard to keep up."

The large amount of intelligence and statistics from CPOF makes deciding what information is critical more difficult for leaders.

"I'm extremely proud of the 404th and their hard work and long hours both during and in preparation for Warfighter - I've seen tremendous improvement," said Col. Troy R. Phillips, commander of the 404th MEB and a Normal, Illinois resident with 32 years of service. "There's a lot of information to sift through and knowing how to prioritize resources and focus staff and their teams on developing options is crucial for discernment."

Despite the difficulties CPOF and other new capabilities can present Easter said they are vital assets.

"The bottom line is that we are evolving - it gives us amazing capabilities at amazing speeds," said Easter. "As long as things don't change too much, the 404th will have not only the tools, but the time to gain the expertise with a system that can ultimately save lives."