FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (Feb. 23, 2015) -- Training audiences located on Fort Hood, Texas, and Camp Atterbury, Ind., faced a "near-peer" adversary in a decisive action training environment as part of Warfighter Exercise 15-3, Feb. 3-11.
Complexity and uncertainty on today's battlefield demands a total army force skilled in both leading and supporting coalition operations. The exercise provided participating units the opportunity to apply and hone staff processes in a simulated joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational, or JIIM, operations scenario with a coalition land forces combatant command lead by a corps headquarters.
The Mission Command Training Program designed and executed the exercise with 11 participating units, including one Canadian brigade. The exercise not only simulated realistic multi-echelon operations, but was also tailored to focus on specific commanders' objectives. Unit training objectives ranged from executing the operational planning process and planning and executing formation maneuver operations to exercising and improving knowledge managements operations.
"In today's environment of uncertainty, all of the Army's formations must have the ability to deploy and work alongside one another under the Total Army Concept within a joint environment when called upon," said Col. Edward Bohneman, commander Mission Command Training Program. "Conducting a warfighter that incorporates the active component, National Guard and multi-national forces allows units the ability to prepare their leaders and staffs to seamlessly integrate within a higher headquarters to conduct unified land operations to meet the requirement of the combatant commander."
With the inclusion of active duty, National Guard and the Canadian brigade, training also enhanced the interoperability between allies and strengthened relationships under the Total Army concept.
"Exercise Warfighter was a tremendous opportunity for 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group [CMBG] for a number of reasons," said Col Peter S. Dawe, commander of 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. "Chief among these is the opportunity for us to work within the context of a full division headquarters with the full complement of flanking and higher headquarters and enablers. Given the size of the Canadian army, we simply can't replicate that back home."
"The second reason I would offer is the benefit we derive from working with our closest allies," Dawe said. "Coalition warfare is the way of the future, and we know that; therefore, the more interoperable we can become the better."
The 555th Engineer Brigade conducts a regimental unit exchange with the Canadians. In September 2014, a platoon went to Canada to train and in the spring of 2015, Canadian engineers will travel to the United States to train. Warfighter Exercise 15-3 gave both units an opportunity to test their skills during the exercise.
"An exchange of information on capabilities prior to the Warfighter allowed me to determine how to integrate assets with the Canadians in support of the 38th Infantry Division," said Col. Timothy Holman, commander of 555th Engineer Brigade. "The biggest challenge we faced was connectivity and interoperability."
More than 600 Mission Command Training Program, or MCTP, personnel, including Soldiers, Airmen, Department of the Army civilians, and contractors, deployed to Fort Hood and Camp Atterbury in support of Warfighter Exercise 15-3. In addition to MCTP personnel, observer trainers from the Canadian and British armies and the Army National Guard Mission Command Training Support Program provided observers for the exercise.
"Even though we are 4,000 miles from one another and the scale of the exercise may be different, conceptually and doctrinally, we are pretty close," said Maj. John Ellis, command and staff trainer, Collective Training Group Command and Staff, United Kingdom. "We want to keep building this blossoming relationship so when we work together in future coalition operations, it will be much easier."
Training audiences included III Corps, 38th Infantry Division, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 197th FAB (National Guard), 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 555th Engineer Brigade, 176th Engineer Brigade, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, 230th Sustainment Brigade and 15th Sustainment Brigade.
"As I told Maj. Gen. David Wood, commander 38th Infantry Division, Exercise Warfighter ranks up there as perhaps the most enriching and gratifying training experience of my 25-year career," Dawe said. "On behalf of the entire 2nd CMBG team, I would like to express our gratitude to the 38th ID [Infantry Division] team and the U.S. government for having invited us to take part in Exercise Warfighter 15-3 and having hosted us so graciously."
As the Army's only deployable combat training center, the Mission Command Training Program supports the collective training of Army units at worldwide locations to train leaders and provide commanders with the opportunity to train on mission command in unified land operations.
Related Links:
Mission Command Training Program Conducts Coalition Training
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