FORT POLK, Louisiana — Members of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team successfully completed the rigors of a force-on-force training exercise on July 29.

Sgt. Zachary Surette of Paris completed this training as part of the 387th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) attached to the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

The troops, with more than 5,000 participants from more than 30 states, spent nearly the month of July at Fort Polk as part of the training rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center, known as JRTC.

Their experience included deployment and staging at Fort Polk followed by more than 10 days of offensive and defensive missions in the post-maneuver areas against a real opposing force. The maneuver training is designed to challenge all the components of the maneuvering brigade..

JRTC is one of the Army’s three combat training centers at which brigade-sized units can conduct realistic training against an opposing force. JRTC specializes in light infantry warfare and operations. It is considered by soldiers to be the Super Bowl of Army training.