Fort Carson, Colo. -- There are no loud booms, sound of small arms fire, or the noise of a convoy rolling by, but the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is gearing up and training in preparation for future deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Recently, Operations Group Charlie, Mission Command Training Program, facilitated the 4th Brigade Combat Team's training to preparation for a pending deployment. The operations group enabled the BCT's mission command training through a 10-day, 24-hour brigade full-spectrum exercise, which included workshops, execution of the military decision-making process at the BCT and battalion level, a four-day master scenario event list-driven simulation, and multiple after-action reviews.
Operations Group Charlie conducts up to 10 exercises worldwide each year for active-duty and reserve component Army brigade combat teams preparing for deployments or contingency operations. Operations Group Charlie accomplishes this mission through the combined efforts of a diverse group of military, Department of the Army civilians, and civilian contractors.
Most of the military personnel have recent deployment experience, providing real-world value to the exercise. In addition to these experiences, the team's contractors bring more than 3,000 years of military experience and include a Medal of Honor recipient, retired Lt. Col. Charles Hagemeister.
During this BFSX, Brigade Commander Col. James Mingus and his subordinate battalion commanders executed mission command from command posts in an open field near the BCT headquarters. Other Mountain Warrior team members served as the company-level headquarters through the use of simulation workstations.
Operations Group Charlie observer/trainers, or OTs, coach and teach their brigade combat team and battalion counterparts in the military decision-making process, current operations and future operations, as well as best practices in the utilization of all of the Army Battle Command Systems. Several role players representing local and tribal leaders, host nation security forces and provisional reconstruction team members also supported the exercise and added to the BCT's understanding of their operational environment.
Fort Carson and other 4th Infantry Division units provided nearly 200 Soldiers to replicate friendly and enemy units, higher headquarters and subordinate units, and civilian organizations and agencies in the simulation. As part of the Mission Command Training Program, Operations Group Charlie has provided training support for America's brigade combat teams for more than 18 years.
Aside from the exercise, there was another significant milestone associated with this exercise rotation. This was the final exercise for contractor team chief retired Lt. Col. Jack Stube, one of the most significant members of Charlie Team's efforts for these 18 years.
With multiple exercises scheduled in the upcoming year, Operations Group Charlie will continue to contribute in supporting the readiness of U.S. Army brigade combat teams at home and overseas.
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