JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Bursts of rifle and machine gun fire echoed across the training ranges at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, March 13-16, 2026, as more than 1,000 Soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve 77th Sustainment Brigade conducted a field training exercise designed to mirror real-world deployments.
This event, dubbed Exercise Liberty Victory, transformed JB MDL’s training grounds into a battlefield rehearsal.
“We’re building readiness across our brigade by training on communications equipment, assigned weapons, field feeding operations, driver training, Army Warrior tasks and field craft in an austere environment,” said U.S. Army Col. Benjamin Owen, 77th SB commander.
For the brigade’s “Liberty Warriors,” whose mission is primarily logistics and sustainment, the exercise served as a reminder that regardless of specialty, every Soldier must be prepared to adapt to different roles in any situation.
“Every Soldier must be ready to deploy, fight and survive no matter the deployed environment,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. James Mostiller, 77th SB command sergeant major.
The Liberty Warriors established a tactical operations center, battalion and company headquarters and executed mission-essential tasks while conducting communications and weapons training, including medical and administrative tasks.
Soldiers executed zeroing, grouping and qualification tables with individual weapons like the M4 carbine and M17 pistol, as well as crew-served weapons, including the M249 and M240B machine guns. Targets snapped up and dropped with mechanical precision as Soldiers engaged silhouettes at varying distances.
Soldiers honed skills in their individual military occupational specialties, with many also taking on duties outside their primary roles to reinforce flexibility across the formation.
“You might be a cook, you might be a fueler, but you must be able to conduct basic Soldier skills,” Mostiller said.
Alongside tactical training, the exercise incorporated a communications exercise to validate communications systems and Soldier readiness processing designed to verify medical readiness, legal documentation and other administrative formalities.
“Not only are we getting our Soldiers mentally and physically fit, but we’re also fulfilling their medical requirements and administrative paperwork, so that at any given time, this brigade is ready,” Mostiller said.
Bringing the entire brigade together allowed leaders to collaborate with one another while also engaging directly with Soldiers at every level.
“Having all of our Soldiers in one location gives us the opportunity to speak with them, connect with the command teams at (every) echelon and work with units across the brigade,” Owen said.
Since Owen assumed command, this brigade-level exercise has been conducted twice annually, beginning in November 2024. This iteration incorporated improvements based on past feedback, including better sequencing, centralized training and the addition of virtual systems to familiarize Soldiers with weapons before live-fire events. One new feature this year included night driving training.
For many participants, the exercise marked their initial training at this scale, as there are hundreds of new Soldiers integrated into the brigade each year. The demanding nature of the field training is matched by its long-term value, Owen said.
“I received an email from a battalion commander currently deployed who said this training helped prepare his Soldiers for real-world scenarios,” Owen said. “That validation shows what we’re doing here matters.”
While New Jersey differs from deployed environments, both leaders said JB MDL training areas effectively simulate austere conditions and support 24-hour operations.
By the end of the weekend, thousands of rounds had been fired and more than 1,000 Liberty Warriors had strengthened core warfighting skills. Looking ahead, Owen said he believes field exercises like this will reshape the perception of Army Reserve training.
“We’re not just sitting in classrooms,” Owen said. “We’re going out to the field and doing what Soldiers are supposed to do.”
Mostiller reflected on what the training meant for the brigade.
“For the Liberty Warriors, this weekend wasn’t just another drill weekend,” Mostiller said, “It was a demonstration of a brigade ready to respond when called.”