July 31, 2025

108 S02 Ep 18 – Bridging State Lines & Front Lines: How the Army National Guard Prepares for Modern Warfare w/COL Soults of TF Ryder, 2-34 IBCT (IA ARNG)

59 minutes

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-eighth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by COL Ricky Taylor, the Commander of Ops Group (COG) and CSM Bill Gallant, the Command Sergeant Major of Ops Group (CSMOG). Today’s guest is the Commander of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, COL Eric Soults.

The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, is the premier infantry formation of the Iowa Army National Guard, headquartered in Boone, Iowa. As part of the storied “Red Bull” Division, the brigade carries forward a legacy of combat excellence dating back to North Africa and Italy in World War II and extensive deployments in the Global War on Terror. The division’s official motto, “Attack, Attack, Attack,” captures the offensive spirit ingrained in its culture. The brigade’s Hollywood call-sign is “Ryder.”

This episode dives deep into the realities of modern warfare from the perspective of the Army National Guard, drawing on the experience of a recent JRTC rotation and upcoming deployment to the CENTCOM AOR. Topics include joint interoperability with international partners such as Kosovo and Jordan, the complexity of managing a brigade built from 19 states, and the use of tools like the “Ryder Way” to enforce standards and discipline. The conversation emphasizes the need to establish early relationships with partner forces, ruthlessly enforce battle rhythm and reporting discipline, and adapt to rapidly changing mission sets across operational phases from training to mobilization.

Other key points include the challenges of sustainment and the innovative use of a sustainment common operating picture or “SUSCOP” to enable proactive logistics. The brigade’s leadership emphasizes empowering NCOs, enforcing standards across dispersed units, and maximizing limited training time by focusing on the fundamentals—especially at the squad and platoon level. The episode concludes with insights on the importance of effective commander-to-commander and staff dialogue, clear expectations, and synchronization of drill periods, all critical to preparing an Army National Guard brigade for LSCO and deployment abroad.

Part of S02 “If I Would Have Only Known” series.

For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast

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Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.

“The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

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