‘Patriot’ Soldiers prepare for future conflicts at YTC

By Staff Sgt. Samuel Northrup

Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, move toward their objective during training March 16, 2017, at Yakima Training Center, Wash. Soldiers of 2-3 Inf., 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, conducted a live fire training exercise March 14-20 in order to help prepare themselves for future contingencies.

Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, conducted a live fire training exercise March 14-20 at Yakima Training Center, Wash., in order to help prepare themselves for future contingencies.

The training included mounted and dismounted infantry tasks in an isolated training environment across complex terrain. It involved an enemy counterattack once a friendly platoon had consolidated and reorganized after securing an objective. Higher headquarters and reconnaissance assets would report that an armored element was moving to the platoon's location on the objective.

Upon receiving word enemy armor was on the way, the platoon moved their dismounted and mounted assets off the objective behind defilade and deployed a Javelin Missile team with a security element to engage the armored threat from a secure position.

“Successful training events depend on a sufficient resources,” said 1st Lt. Chaka, a platoon leader with Charger Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment. “In a resource-constrained environment, obtaining the necessary inputs to conduct realistic training is an ever-present obstacle to completing the mission.”

According to Chaka, his ability to provide timely command and control in an otherwise chaotic combat environment is what determines his value to the team.

“The training our battalion executed at YTC stressed my ability to coordinate multiple echelons of both direct and indirect fires, safely maneuver my Soldiers across the battlefield and provide situational updates to higher headquarters. That ultimately shapes operational and strategic decision-making that directly impact the welfare of my individual Soldiers,” he added.

The training mimics austere conditions their unit may encounter in a potential overseas deployment, according to Chaka. YTC provided a dynamic and challenging environment that stressed their battalion’s operational capabilities, as well as their ability to project sustained combat power in order to fight and win our nation’s wars abroad.

Pfc. Tyler Kowalchuk of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, fires the second Javelin shot of the day March 16, 2017, at Yakima Training Center, Wash. 

“Perhaps the most valuable benefit from training at YTC is that it provides a realistic assessment of our unit’s combat readiness at any given time,” said Chaka. “The long-distance movements to and from the training area stress our logistical and asset-recovery capabilities, which are arguably some of the most critical tasks required of a mechanized organization. YTC also enables our battalion to develop and refine standard operating procedures and best-practices that will benefit future generations of Soldiers.”

The training forces Soldiers at every echelon of leadership to hone their critical thinking and decision-making skills in real-time, Chaka said. Repetitive training in day and nighttime conditions while operating in difficult, unfamiliar terrain affords individual Soldiers the opportunity to gain confidence in themselves and each other.

“As a platoon leader at YTC, I learned the value of incorporating flexibility into my course-of-action development,” said Chaka. “Flexibility is a crucial element during the execution phase of any operation and remaining overly-fixed to the initial plan prevents leaders from recognizing and seizing the initiative, or on the other hand, exercising tactical patience when the conditions are not set to continue the mission. In future training exercises, I will use my subordinate leaders more effectively, trust them to exercise initiative and adapt to the situation on the ground as it changes.”

Prior to executing training operations at YTC, select Soldiers within 2-3 Inf. certified on the FGM-148 Javelin weapon system under the supervision of certified instructors from Jan. 30 to Feb. 17. The training allowed Soldiers across the battalion to develop the skills and confidence necessary to employ live javelin munitions as part of their individual platoon’s scheme of maneuver during platoon live fire exercises.

Month of the military child

April is the Month of the Military Child. This awareness month was established to highlight the role children play in the military community. There are about 2 million military children. Care of military children sustains our fighting force, and strengthens the health of our Army families.

This month we went around asking different Army parents why it is important to recognize what military children go through.

“It is important recognize the children because many people don’t even realize the difficulties many military children have to go through. The Army offers challenging careers and we have to be considerate of our child’s thoughts and feelings whenever our duties take us away from them.” – Sgt. Kutta, a father of three and a team leader with B Company, 2^nd Battalion, 3^rd Infantry Regiment.

“We make sacrifices for our nation, but our children can be at times the strongest in the family. They learn at a an early age that their Dad has a job to do. They know we can’t always be there and they deal with that remarkably well. They are always with us and that makes us stronger as a whole.” – Pfc. Laforge, a father of one child and an infantryman with B Co., 2-3 Inf.

‘Warhorse’ troops support Operation Freedom Sentinel

By Staff Sgt. Samuel Northrup

 

Soldiers of C Troop, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, conduct training and missions at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, April 1, 2017. Soldiers of C Troop were in Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Brian H. Harris)

 

 

For more than 15 years, the U.S. Army has been fighting in Afghanistan – the longest conflict in United States history.  Soldiers of C Troop, 1^st Squadron, 14^th Cavalry Regiment, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, are some of the recent Soldiers to deploy there for Operation Freedom Sentinel.

Deploying to Afghanistan in early February 2017, the Soldiers are supporting the 16^th Combat Aviation Brigade.

“Afghanistan is truly is a beautiful place,” said Spc. Ryan Muir, a medic with C Troop. “There are a lot more mountains than I imagined and it makes for a great view every day. In other circumstances I would gladly come here to visit.”

His previous deployments were counter-insurgency based that were focused on disrupting the enemy in a sector, said Staff Sgt. Timothy Oremus, a section leader with C Troop and a Smithfield, Rhode Island, native. This mission is in support of possible downed helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The tactics, movement and support are very different than what Oremus is used to. Coming from the Stryker-based Cavalry Squadron conducting reconnaissance operations, this mission entails a light air assault force for conducting security operations in support of U.S. forces.

“We had the opportunity to cross train with Air Force Para-rescue Jumpers (PJs), Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC), Tactical Air Control Party (TAC-P), and Security Forces (SF) and with allies from the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, and Afghanistan,” said 1^st Lt. Andrew Frazier, a platoon leader with C Troop.

Staff Sgt. Rinson Neth, a Section Leader with C Troop and a Pohnpei, Micronesia, native, said he was deployed to Afghanistan 2009-2010. He said It's amazing how many resources and how much manpower has been poured into the country to support the mission. There are so many different countries are willing to work together to re-build Afghanistan.

“I believe the mission of Operation Freedom Sentinel is extremely important and mitigates terrorism,” said Sgt. Gabriel Mercado, a team leader with C Troop who is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. “As Americans, we must not only increase our security back home but assist the country of Afghanistan in bringing peace to its nation.”

The Afghan people are a hard working group of individuals that want to make their country better, said Sgt. Alexander Raymond, a team leader with C Troop from Portland, Oregon. They need all the help they can get from the coalition forces to help structure a safe and stable environment for their families and loved ones.

“That is what keeps me motivated day to day: knowing I have people that care and are waiting for me back home,” said Spc. Sanz St. Jean, a C Troop assistant gunner from Ft. Myers, Florida. “All the love and support we receive while overseas keeps me motivated to keep driving on and make it back to the states.”

U.S. Soldiers train with Canadian Counterparts

by Staff Sgt. Samuel Northrup

Spc. Gurpreet Gill (left), an infantry Soldier with 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, stand next to his Canadian military counterpart during Exercise Warfighter, which was held April 4-11 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Spc. Gill)          

Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division trained with the 1st Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group during Exercise Warfighter April 4-11, 2017, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

The exercise, which was supported in part by 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, is conducted annually, with the other half of the exercise taking place at Fort Hood, Texas. At JBLM, Soldiers conducted a command post exercise to test the interoperability and internal systems of the two nations’ militaries.

“Exercise Warfighter 17-04 is a U.S. Army led computer assisted exercise that simulates complex combat operations against a near-peer enemy and focuses on the Command and Control‎ aspects of warfare,” said Col. Bill Fletcher, commander of 1 CMBG. “Conducting the exercise in a simulated environment allowed us to refine our Command and Control processes and procedures in a safe training environment while synchronizing our warfighting strategies and tactics with our U.S. Army ally.”

The U.S. Army is considered Canada’s closest ally and the organization has a long history of success on the battlefield, which they have used to build impressive doctrine, said Fletcher. “We always relish at the opportunity to learn from their knowledge and experience and equally to impart our own.”

Members of the Canadian military are very professional, friendly and they know what they are doing, said U.S. Army Spc. Gurpreet Gill, an infantry Soldier with 1-2 SBCT. Some basic soldiering tasks such as taking a map out and locating key points for the mission are the same. They also use a lot of the same vocabulary and techniques we use at that level of training. 

“In Canada, we are great at operating in sections, platoons, companies, battalions, battle groups, and brigades,” Fletcher added. “Training opportunities like Exercise Warfighter 17-04 allow us to train at the Division and Corps levels. Fighting a battle with the resources and capabilities that these echelons bring to the fight forces us to think beyond our own capabilities and integrate as part of the team.”

Colonel Bill Fletcher, the Commander of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, gives orders to Battalion Command Team’s and key staff during an operations order briefing held at Albanese Hall during Exercise Warfighter 17-04, which was held April 4-11 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Canadian military)

Training with the U.S. Army re-enforces the value of teamwork in allied combat operations and draws upon the resources that come with it, said Fletcher. By synchronizing their processes and procedures with their U.S. Army counterparts, they will be able to be a better team player when they support and participate in multi-national operations.

‘We are serving alongside U.S. forces across the globe,” Fletcher added. “Integration along the lines of what we accomplished sets us up for success domestically and internationally.”

It was Gill’s first time working with the Canadians. For him, it has given him lot of ideas to move forward with in his career. 

“I find that different militaries have their own way to approach situations, especially when it comes to missions and planning,” said Gill, who has also worked with Indian Army soldiers. “The Canadians are different and India is very different, but overall it was a great experience.” 

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section.

Medics train to save lives in dynamic environment

By Maj. Kelly Haux

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - For five days in the cold, drizzling rain, sometimes working 20 hours non-stop, the Soldiers of the Treatment and Evacuation platoons of C Company, 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division were evaluated on key medic skills during their recent field training exercise (FTX) at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, from March 13-17.

The purpose of the training was to evaluate the platoons' mission essential task list (METL), which consists of providing direct support, area support, establishing ambulance exchange points (AXPs) and shuttle operations. This certification ensures the platoons of C Co., 296th BSB, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat team, are capable of providing the combat care needed in a hostile environment.

The medical care provided by C Co. is defined as prehospital care or casualty treatment in a tactical, combat environment. This varies from traditional civilian trauma care as many combat casualties can suffer from complex trauma that can include penetrating injuries and amputation as opposed to blunt trauma seen in many civilian settings, according to the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Handbook from the Center for Army Lessons Learned. In previous conflicts, the majority of combat deaths occurred before a wounded Soldier reached a treatment facility. This stresses the importance of treating casualties at the point of injury and transitioning wounded as quickly as possible to a treatment facility.

"We evacuated casualties from the notional line units and provided en-route care while we transported them to the Role II (Medical Company) and Role III (Combat Support Hospital)," said 1st. Lt. John Gigante, Platoon leader for the Evacuation platoon, C Co. "We ran these missions while exposed to dynamic elements such as operating at night, reacting to opposing forces, indirect fire or IDF from artillery or mortars, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) threats."

The training builds upon the medics' existing skills, reinforcing their capabilities in order for the entire medical company to operate confidently, tactically and efficiently, Gigante explained. With a significant portion of his platoon participating in Pacific Pathways, and receiving an influx of newer Soldiers, taking advantage of this type of training opportunity is important.

"It allows the more experienced Soldiers to demonstrate the necessary skills to accomplish these missions, and that we can operate effectively without the entire platoon," Gigante said. "We are flexible, resilient and capable."

Staff Sgt. Stanley Brown, C Co. aid station non-commissioned officer in charge, said it is necessary to re-create the potential operating environments in which they may deploy to in the future - to include a potential CBRN situation.

"This helps to prepare Soldiers for the rigors of a deployment - everything from the combat gear you are wearing to the accountability for a weapon and sensitive items," Brown said. "In our line of work, there is a very high emphasis on preserving life and the health of our brothers and sisters in arms to conserve fighting strength."

Training with the Royal Thai Army during Cobra Gold 17

By Spc. Brandon Fox, Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment

I'm surprised at the level of training here in Thailand and with the Thai Soldiers’ level of knowledge. Our experience here has been more of a critique and coaching method instead of something from the ground up such as the crawl, walk, and run method. The Thai military training isn't too different than ours. It's more as if our training complements each other because their training model is so similar.

Two Royal Thai Army soldiers rappel from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Feb. 15, 2017, Thailand. This was part of Exercise Cobra Gold 17, the largest Theater Security Cooperation exercise in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.  (U.S. Army photo by Major Kelly Haux)

 I've enjoyed the training because of the opportunity to learn from each other and see each other, the U.S. and the Thai Soldiers, from a different point of view. In that way, this type of training is good in building relations with our allies. None of us knows what the future holds or what is right around the corner and this type of training with other nations helps us prepare for an uncertain future. 

A Royal Thai Army Soldier treats a simulated sucking chest wound Feb. 15, 2017, Thailand.   Cobra Gold 17 emphasizes coordination on civic action, such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, seeking to expand regional cooperation and collaboration in these vital areas. (U.S. Army photo by Major Kelly Haux)

If I were to tell other soldiers what to expect to learn or take away from this type of training experience with a foreign military it would be to, first enjoy the unique experience. You'll never have or rarely have another opportunity to train in another country and with their military forces. 

Secondly, always go into the training with an open mind and be open to what your counterparts can teach. 

Lastly, keep up the enthusiasm for training. That type of energy feeds off of each other; we're not here to prove anything to the Thai Soldiers but to show each other what we do. That type of enthusiasm is easily seen here when all of us are working together and supporting one another as Soldiers – you can see it in the Thai soldiers and how enthusiastic they are to train with Americans.

Spc. Fox, sitting at the driver's seat of a humvee during Cobra Gold 17

What do you think? Do you have any experiences related to the above topic? Let us know in the comment section.

Perspective changing experiences in the Pacific

By Staff Sgt. Samuel Northrup

Two goats were slowly led up the hill for the sacrifice. I looked on as one of the locals brought the first goat to be sacrificed near to him. In one movement he cut the animal’s throat open and the blood began to spill out. He prayed as he held the animal and moved ceremoniously around the construction site to ensure the animals blood was properly placed at the right locations for the blessing. Other U.S. Soldiers, most of whom are not accustomed to animal sacrifice, watched in awe. This blessing, a local Filipino custom, was done to help protect the new medical center we were constructing.

Let no goat go to waste. 

This took place around March 2010, during Exercise Balikatan, an annual bilateral exercise between Philippine and U.S. military forces that focuses on partnership, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief capabilities, and force modernization. Back then I was part of the 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion. Our focus was training and working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Simultaneously we were also helping out the local population by building a schoolhouse and a new medical center for villagers located at the the island of Luzon, Philippines.

The new school, while still under construction

Local Filipino children pose in front of the finished medical center (before I took a photography course)

Now Balikatan is part of a larger training deployment known as Pacific Pathways that encompasses other countries in the Pacific. Soldiers from selected units (for 2017 it includes 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team) are deployed from one country to the next to train with that country’s military force.

These types of exercises are nothing new for the U.S. Army, but what they have to offer is invaluable for every new group of Soldiers that get to experience them.

Breaking out of the routine

A major benefit of traveling overseas to train with an ally is breaking out of the same training routine. Soldiers back in the U.S. begin to get used to going to the range, live fire exercises, morning PT, etc. They know what to expect, which is not always a good thing.

Now throw Soldiers in a training environment with a foreign military they never trained with and you get some interesting results. Militaries around the world do much of the same training, but the finer details can be different. Some countries may use tactics  we don’t use, forgotten, or just never considered. Seeing it played out gives us the opportunity to learn from them and vice versa.

Going back to Balikatan 2010, the Filipino Army Engineers used rustic, some would consider archaic, construction techniques. One example is a water level (plastic tube filled with water) to determine if two points were the same height. Some of these methods, such as the water level, turned out to be more efficient the ones we used.

This year for Pacific Pathways, our “Ghost Brigade” Soldiers got an opportunity to train with the Royal Thai Army during a Jungle Survival Course. They started fires without modern tools, searched for water and cooked food with barest of essentials.

Spc. James Gersler, Company C, 1-23 Infantry, drinks chicken blood as a substitute for water during the jungle survival course with the Royal Thai Army at Korat, Thailand, Feb. 20, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Kelly Haux)

A Royal Thai Army Soldier from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, demonstrates how to make an emergency fire using bamboo during jungle survival training at Camp Surathampitak, Thailand, Feb. 17, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Kelly Haux)

For a young U.S. Soldier, this experience can be an eyeopener. Since 1987, there has been less and less people venturing out to visit nature, according to a study submitted to PNAS. Soldiers do conduct field training exercises, but getting them out into a foreign Jungle with snakes and wild animals is a whole other experience.

"Its good training with the Thai Soldiers, this is a beautiful country and the training has been good building relations between the Thai military and the U.S." -- Spc. James Gersler, Company C. 1-23 Infantry.

"It tastes like Freedom!" -- Pvt. Alexis Fiarito, Combat Engineer, Company A, 23rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, after killing the chicken and drinking its blood.

No chicken shall go to waste

You become better at developing models of the world and your environment when you explore other countries and their cultures. You better understand how they think and how you think. You begin to see more solutions to problems and you can teach those ideas to your junior Soldiers -- essentially affecting another generation of Soldiers with the training you experienced.

What do you think? Do you have any experiences related to the above topic? Let us know in the comment section.