{"id":11107,"date":"2026-03-17T17:23:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T17:23:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/?p=11107"},"modified":"2026-04-02T18:16:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T18:16:50","slug":"maryland-infantrymen-fire-up-new-jersey-training-grounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/2026\/03\/17\/maryland-infantrymen-fire-up-new-jersey-training-grounds\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland infantrymen fire up New Jersey training grounds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Story by Kris Patterson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. \u2013 The quiet of the New Jersey pine barrens erupted with the thunderous roar of mortar blasts as infantrymen from Maryland\u2019s Army National Guard unleashed a fierce display of fire power at the training grounds of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, March 13-17, 2026.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment conducted a rigorous field training exercise carrying forward Maryland\u2019s proud infantry heritage on the ranges of central New Jersey.

As mortar crews launched rounds toward distant targets, squads maneuvered through wooded terrain, and leaders coordinated missions as if the battlefield was real.

The objective for the training was to strengthen staff operations in preparation for upcoming deployments, while fostering team development and synchronization across the battalion.

\u201cI wanted our Soldiers to gain a clearer understanding of their assigned roles and how they contribute to the overall mission,\u201d said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Joseph Mucci, 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment commander. \u201cOur focus is on ensuring we are ready for whatever challenge comes next.\u201d

While the training looked toward the future, the battalion\u2019s foundation was built on a history that stretches back generations. The battalion traces its roots to the Baltimore Independent Cadets of 1774. It\u2019s the oldest continuously serving military formation in Maryland and the seventh oldest regiment in the U.S. Army.

\u201cBeing in the National Guard means you\u2019re a citizen-soldier and that\u2019s where we draw our lineage from,\u201d said U.S. Army Maj. Nicholas Riesett, 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment executive officer. \u201cOur unit history is our history; it remains a vital part of who we are as Marylanders. With our headquarters located near historic battlefields, our Soldiers can see and experience that legacy first-hand.\u201d

From the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts, the battalion has supported both domestic operations and overseas training missions, including international exercises and state emergency response efforts.

To maintain that level of readiness, however, history takes a back seat to training for the future fight. The battalion often travels to premier training sites like JB MDL where the unique environment allows for realistic, large-scale simulations of combat operations.

Throughout this exercise, Soldiers refined not only their proficiency with weapons systems but also small-unit tactics and field coordination.

\u201c[The exercise] forced us to collaborate, communicate and develop cohesive strategies that will be crucial in real-world scenarios,\u201d said Riesett. \u201cSeeing it all come together in a coordinated manner validated the hard work and preparation our Soldiers have put in.\u201d

Riesett attributed teamwork and a sense of unity as key factors for the successful execution of the exercise, giving Soldiers greater confidence not only in their own abilities, but also in the unit\u2019s capabilities.

\u201cBringing everyone together to work on complex problems that we don\u2019t normally face helped build stronger relationships within small teams and across the battalion,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have the tools and the training that when faced with a challenge, we can solve it. Even when something pushes us outside our comfort zones, we know we\u2019re equipped to handle it. Trusting in ourselves and each other is what will lead us to success.\u201d

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Owen, 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment command sergeant major, echoed that sentiment, expressing pride in how the training fostered cohesion.

\u201cI wanted our Soldiers to trust one another and become a more unified team, and we accomplished that this weekend,\u201d Owen said. \u201cWhen we link up with our partners overseas, they\u2019ll see not only our technical expertise, but also how seamlessly we work together. We will be able to demonstrate that we\u2019re capable, knowledgeable and ready so that our allies see us as reliable partners, and that is the greatest testament to our training.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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U.S. infantry Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment, Maryland Army National Guard conduct mortar training during a field training exercise at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., March 15, 2026. The FTX focused on training in preparation for upcoming deployments, team development and unit synchronization. (U.S. Army photo by Steven Roussel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Story by Kris Patterson JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. \u2013 The quiet of the New Jersey pine barrens erupted with the thunderous roar of mortar blasts as infantrymen from Maryland\u2019s Army National Guard unleashed a fierce display of fire power at the training grounds of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, March 13-17, 2026. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 175th  Read the Rest…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":161,"featured_media":11110,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11107"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11116,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11107\/revisions\/11116"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}