Soldiers in the Illinois National Guard blend seamlessly into daily life when not in their uniforms. Their colleagues at their regular jobs see them as any other worker, but these employers usually miss witnessing their combat training, until recently.

A group of employers and some reporters departed from Peoria for a visit to Tomah, Wisconsin, where they were given an exclusive look at training routines at Fort McCoy. This yearly two-week initiative offers soldiers an opportunity to hone existing abilities and acquire new skills.

“This year, the training focus for brigade commanders is to enhance soldiers’ proficiency in lethality,” stated Major Spencer Ervin, who is the S-3 Operations Officer for the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

More than 500 soldiers tried out new weaponry, including grenade launchers.

“More time, more ammo, [we’re] just getting more comfortable with the weapons systems we own to increase proficiency in future years,” Ervin said. 

Behind the scenes of the battlefield, several intelligence camps serve as the brain of potential operations. Both above ground and below, servicemen and women map out land, water and air to know where soldiers should and shouldn’t go.

“The army is composed of people first and we are a team, it’s a team fight,” Ervin said. 

The employer-focused trip gave bosses the chance to see that teamwork firsthand. 

“We send these outstanding team members that are trustworthy back in their communities to share the wealth,” Ervin said. 

For the soldiers, it’s a chance to reconnect with familiar faces and mentor the new ones that come along. 

“Some of my best moments in working with my teammates [are] moments of suffering in a training environment,” Ervin said. “When the going gets tough, you bond together.”