Train, fight, win- 2BCT tackles JRTC rotation

The Commandos took part in a Decisive Action rotation at JRTC, testing their skills and training in a force-on-force scenario developed to challenge all aspects of the brigade from infantry tactics to maintenance and recovery operations.

Although 2BCT is not slated for any deployments in the near future, the training is important to maintain readiness and build on the skills of the various teams throughout the brigade.

"As leaders, we have to convey to the Soldiers that when the Army says we're going through a Decisive Action rotation it will truly be offense, defense and a little bit of stability training spread in there, too. We have to continue with this type of training so we don't lose what we've learned over the past few years in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Col. Scott Himes, commander of 2BCT.

The training began as soon as the Commandos set their boots on the ground at Fort Polk. Each Soldier began fulfilling their assigned duties from unloading shipping containers, moving equipment to designated areas, and setting up tents for the command center, also known as the Tactical Operations Center.

Within hours, the TOC was complete and running to full capacity. A few days later, the command team received an order to jump the TOC. Jumping a TOC involves tearing down the existing command post, packing it up and moving it to a new location. All of the equipment, communications systems, tents, and vehicles must move to this new area. It had to be done as quickly and efficiently as possible to maintain command and control of the assigned battle space.

While the weather at Fort Polk tends to be more forgiving than at Fort Drum, Mother Nature did her part to challenge and stress the Commandos in their first major movement.

"When we first got here and set the TOC up, it was actually pretty nice out and it was sunny," said Pfc. Conner Witt, an air battle management systems operator and maintainer with 2BCT. "Then when we got the command to jump TOC, it started raining. There was mud on everything, but we followed the command and got it done. I guess the common phrase, 'If it ain't raining; we ain't training,' is really true after all," Witt continued.

When the TOC was set up again, the training began full-force. The Commandos immediately started receiving various missions every day to clear the realistic cities that are built throughout the training grounds at JRTC. Their mission was to clear the cities that had been occupied by the opposing forces, the South Atropian People's Army, which were mostly made up of Soldiers from 1st battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and Soldiers from other units at Fort Polk.

Inside the training at JRTC the Commandos supported the Atropian government, a fictional country in distress and needing the aid of U.S. Forces. The goal of this training rotation was to ensure 2BCT kept their skills sharp in a force-on-force engagement by routing out the insurgent SAPA forces and securing Atropia for its people.

Jennifer Duplechien has been a role player at JRTC for nearly 14 years. She has seen all manner of training on various rotations and was impressed with the skill and perserverance of 2nd brigade.

"There has been gun fight all day and all night between SAPA and the U.S. Soldiers," Duplechien said following one of the many battles waged on Atropian soil.

In her guise as an Atropian civilian she stated, "war is very dangerous and we want Atropia to be a safe place, and the American Soldiers came here to protect us from SAPA, but we never know how long a fight will last or how long we will enjoy freedom."

For the next week and a half, the Commandos continued day and night to strategically move through the woods, swamps and briars, to breach objectives and assault the opposing forces by surprise. After much ground battle, the mission to clear SAPA from the cities was finally accomplished.

"Our primary goal was to push out the opposing forces from the cities to help save the Atropian way of life," said Spc. Benjamin Gregory, a combat medic with 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment.

"We've had some really tough, long fights and it's been very taxing, both physically and mentally, but we persevered through the rain and mud and completed the missions. We made a few small mistakes, but I really think that we all got a lot of good training out of this rotation," Gregory added.

Maj. Craig Redford, an operations officer with 1-509th PIR, was an opposing forces role player. He said that the training seemed to be going well and that both sides were doing their best to win the battle.

"I was very impressed with the Soldiers of 2BCT because they were able to get a Bradley tank pretty close without us knowing about it until after the attack began," said Redford.

"Our guys, the opposing forces, have been doing all they can to take out the Soldiers of 2BCT. It seems to be going slower than I thought it would, but both sides have been giving a tough, fair fight. Most of the fights began early in the morning before sunrise and continued for about five or six hours," he added.

Even though the Commandos completed the missions throughout the training, they took on some casualties, loss of lives, as well as some vehicles, most of which were determined by the multiple integrated laser engagement system, a vest, halo and weapon mount system which uses lasers and blank ammunition cartridges to simulate actual battle.

After administering Tactical Combat Casualty Care the Commandos gathered their fellow Soldiers into one central location and determined how many casualties they received. Then they used the 9-line MEDEVAC to decide what kind of medical evacuation was needed for their casualties.

"We've been successful at attacking objectives, but we've also been taking on some casualties, which require us to tend to their wounds according to whatever the Observer/Controller personnel say they received," said Pvt. Christopher Robinson, a combat medic attached to 2BCT.

"We also had to call up the 9-line Medevac to organize the medical evacuation of the casualties. For this specific mission we only used the casevac which basically means that we evacuated the casualties by land," Robinson explained.

He continued to say that the medics have had plenty of opportunities to treat casualties, both notional and real world. They've had some Soldiers get injured during the training rotation because of the rough terrain and training at night, but nothing too serious.

The Commandos also had to recover the vehicles that were destroyed by the opposing forces. Due to the numerous attacks from SAPA, many vehicles had been destroyed, which kept the recovery mechanics exceptionally busy.

"Our main objective is wheeled vehicle recovery, so if any vehicles break down, whether for training or real world purposes, we go out, pick them up, bring them back to our designated home station and repair them," said Sgt. Trenton Rogers, a maintenance recovery noncommissioned officer with Echo company, 41st Engineer Battalion.

Rogers went on to say that he thought the training was going great, and they have been able to better identify their strengths and weaknesses during their 35 vehicle recoveries.

When all was said and done and the training had come to an end, the Commandos, though exhausted, wet, muddy and smelly, accomplished every mission they were tasked with.

Following the completion of training Himes commended the actions of the Commandos, "the Soldiers have been doing a great job in executing every mission. They've struggled in some aspects of the training, but that's why we're here, to expose that gap. By and large, I believe we are a lethal, light-infantry brigade and we take pride in that. I give them all the credit in the world, and I'm very proud of the Commandos.