15 FORT BLISS, Texas – Long before the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived here for deployment to the Middle East, they had forged a deep and habitual training partnership with First Army’s 177th Armored Brigade. After the 256th was tasked to mobilize in support of U.S. Central Command, the 177th began interacting with the Louisiana Army National Guard unit as it prepared for the mission to come. The leadership of the two units met face-to-face to assess training levels and personnel readiness. The 256th, nicknamed the Tiger Brigade, traveled to Camp Shelby, home to the 177th, numerous times throughout the last year to allow First Army observer/coach trainers to provide feedback on artillery lanes and crew drills. And the Louisiana unit returned to Mississippi again in October for premobilization training, another key opportunity for the units to interact in a kinetic field environment.