Surpassing the Crucible: A Story of Inspiring Leadership and Teamwork

The fight over the One Army Concept is at its peak. Some in theactive Army believed the concept would never work. Weekendwarriors couldnt be reliable enough to be integrated into the Armysdemanding worldwide missions. In 1989 the National Guards 2ndBattalion 220th Infantry needs to perform well at the prestigiousJoint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Chaffee Arkansas.The men and officers of the 2nd battalion were going to be tested bythe Armys best trained professional Opposing Force at the infantrysultimate proving ground. But this wasnt your average NationalGuard unit. Their consistent superior performance during the lastseveral years prompted the National Guard leadership to select themto best represent the Guard on this national stage. There are countlessdistinct challenges for National Guard units that active-duty unitsdont face. This story describes how the battalions exceptionalleadership can overcome these challenges to turn their uniquesituation into an advantage. Can the battalion prove to everyone thatthe One Army Concept works? If so then whats next?