TRADOC commanding general hosts delegation from Israel for Future Battlefield Annual Talks XXII

By Mike Dearborn, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command's International Army Programs DirectorateAugust 8, 2013

TRADOC commanding general hosts delegation from Israel for Future Battlefield Annual Talks XXII
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TRADOC commanding general hosts delegation from Israel for Future Battlefield Annual Talks XXII
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Maj. Gen. Guy Zur, chief of IDF Ground Forces, talks to a Soldier in the 7th Sustainment Brigade on Fort Eustis. The 7th Sustainment Brigade also provided a watercraft capability brief and demonstrati
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FORT EUSTIS, Va. - Gen. Robert W. Cone, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, hosted a delegation at Fort Eustis, Va. for the 22nd Future Battlefield Annual Talks, July 21-24, 2013.

TRADOC's relationship with the Israel Defense Forces began in 1973 following the Yom Kippur War, leading to the FBAT's initiation in 1988, and the TRADOC commanding general has served as U.S. head of delegation since 1990. Each year the FBAT is conducted alternately between locations in the U.S. and Israel.

This year's U.S. delegation included Cone; Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey, TRADOC's command Sgt. Maj.; Maj. Gen. Bill Hix, TRADOC's deputy director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center; Thomas Greco, TRADOC's deputy chief of staff for Intelligence; Center of Excellence commanders from Maneuver, Fires, Sustainment, Maneuver Support, Aviation; and selected school commandants.

Maj. Gen. Guy Zur, chief of the IDF Ground Forces, served as the Israeli head of delegation.

From July 21-23, IDF Ground Force Delegates visited the Maneuver, Fires, Maneuver Support and Sustainment Centers of Excellence to gain insights into the curriculum, technology and techniques used to train U.S. Soldiers as well exchange ideas on topics of interest to both armies.

These engagements provided the opportunity for the representatives of each Army to share their approaches and lessons on the competencies of combined arms maneuver and wide area security.

At the same time that the IDF delegates were visiting TRADOC schools and centers, Zur participated in detailed discussions at the TRADOC headquarters with Cone and members of the TRADOC staff. These engagements provided the opportunity for the IDF to gain a better understanding of how TRADOC is leading the U.S. Army's transition from an Army of execution to an Army of preparation.

Zur also participated in several watercraft simulations during his visit to the Transportation School's Maritime Intermodal Training Department to get a first-hand look at how the Army is implementing the Army's Learning Model.

The 7th Sustainment Brigade also provided a watercraft capability brief and demonstration at 3rd Port, and exposure to this capability was informative to the IDF since they are also considering establishing their own amphibious requirements to counter anti-access threats.

Zur's visit to TRADOC headquarters also included a tour of the Training Brain Operations Center that was hosted by Greco. During that engagement, Maj. Gen. Zur learned how TBOC is postured to aggregate data, develop simulations, and deliver training support to empower unit commanders as they retake ownership of home station training responsibilities after 12 years of war.

Zur also received briefings from the Combined Arms Center on Unified Land Operations and lessons learned from Afghanistan.

The FBAT concluded with a plenary session on July 24 that focused on Strategic Landpower, Mobile Protected Firepower, Army Leader Development Strategy, Capstone Concept Ground Warfare, 2020-2025, and the Ground Forces 5-year plan.

Cone reiterated the importance of this visit to the U.S. Army and how TRADOC greatly values the partnership with the IDF Ground Forces. According to Cone, the FBAT provides learning opportunities for commanders to share solutions to common challenges faced in combat, and serves as a venue for exchanging insights on future concepts and ideas.

During last year's FBAT in Israel, the U.S. delegation gained valuable insights from IDF lessons learned from Operation Cast Lead that validated several Army 2020 initiatives to include brigade combat team redesign, and its integration of an engineer battalion. In his closing remarks, Cone highlighted that no one has more agile leaders than the IDF Ground Forces.

Zur thanked the U.S. delegates for their hospitality, and believes that the observations and learning that occurred during the FBAT will be beneficial in the near future as the IDF makes important decisions on the design of the Israeli ground forces for the next decade.

The FBAT concluded with the co-signing of a memorandum by Cone and Zur to codify the 2014 military-to-military agreed-to actions, and to demonstrate the long-standing partnership and commitment between the armies.

The 2014 FBAT will be hosted by the IDF Ground Forces in Israel.