HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga. - Soldiers from 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade traded in buildings at Hunter Army Airfield for Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter with generators and light sets during a Command Post Exercise at Evans Army Airfield Sept. 23-27.
The exercise included 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 42nd Fires Brigade from Fort Stewart. This was 3rd CAB's first opportunity since returning from their deployment last year to train as an organic unit.
Maj. John Culpepper, simulations officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd CAB was crucial in providing the exercise outline for 3rd CAB. Preparations began with training operators weeks before the exercise started, which is critical for this exercise because they drive the activities of the simulation and help commanders visualize the consequences of their orders. Culpepper said poorly trained simulation operators can lead to a poor exercise.
"[The CPX] provides a common environment to operate in so that the brigades can leverage their strengths and capabilities to fight as a combined arms team," Culpepper said.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Aaron Lanious, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Aviation Mission Survivability Officer was lead planner for the air assault exercise Sept. 23. Lanious conducted an air mission brief for before "Brawlers" began the air assault.
"All of these briefings are important because they become the contract which each component of the assault is expected to execute," Lanious said.
Lanious said the role of the additional brigades was essential in identifying several key planning factors in the CAB's missions. For example, 42nd Fires provided standoff artillery distance for helicopters to safely operate around friendly ground force artillery fire. This allows the ground force commander to secure the area.
"The presence of active enemy anti-air assets changes many of the ways we are used to supporting the ground force," Lanious said.
Capt. Jeremy Robinson, HHC, 3rd CAB was in charge of current operations form 3rd CAB's tactical operations center during the CPX. The TOC was the hub for information flow and Robinson ensured his battalion counterparts received the information from higher needed to successfully complete the missions.
Robinson said he witnessed the growth of experience at all levels from the CPX, from junior enlisted Soldiers operating the TOC to officers conducting briefings to their commanders.
"Overall, the CPX proved to be an outstanding building block to improve our personal experiences in planning and executing missions," said Robinson.
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