First Army helps units prep for deployment during Warfighter Exercise

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - Soldiers with the 34th Infantry Division and the Minnesota Army National Guard are prepping for planned deployments at a "Warfighter" training exercise here, aided by First Army Observer Coach/Trainers, or OC/T's.

The exercise is a two-week, computer-simulated war game that tests command and control processes against a hybrid, peer or near-peer threat created through dynamic combinations of regular and irregular forces, as well as criminal elements capable of conducting conventional and unconventional operations. First Army Soldiers mentored the National Guard unit in best practices in support of the Total Force using their experience and prior examples of success.

"We assist them on developing their products, running estimates, and any questions they have," said Maj. Travis Coates, an OC/T and executive officer with the 1-290th Battalion of First Army Division East's 157th Infantry Brigade.

The hours are long and the demands many, but First Army OC/T's are seeing positive results from the "Red Bull" Division.

"They're improving every day," Coates said. "What I try to do is bring them some products and show them a way to get at what the commander is looking for. Everybody I've worked with has been very receptive."

Coates enjoyed the mentoring aspect of his position, finding a balance between instructing the Soldiers from his own experience and encouraging them to arrive at their own solutions.

"One thing I like about being an OC/T is getting a unit that you can coach," Coates said. "I don't have all the answers, but I have some products and I can show them the way that I do it or show them some examples from previous exercises. They can see a way to do it -- it doesn't have to be the way -- but they can take that information and tailor it to their situation. We don't say, 'Do it like this,' we lay a foundation for them."

Maj. Jessica Warzecha, a brigade logistics officer with the 34th Inf. Div., cited an example of the unit incorporating an idea from a First Army OC/T into the Warfighter, appreciated the expertise First Army provided to the unit during the exercise.

"I see how we are growing out here and becoming more efficient. A good Warfighter is one where everyone learns and it's safe and we are able to capture the lessons learned for future use," Warzecha said.

Coates noted how receptive the training Soldiers have been to First Army input.

"Since they are in the Reserve Component, they don't do it all the time, but having them for two weeks and showing them some products, we can help guide them, help them help themselves, and at the end of the day, they are setting their commander up for success."

Sgt. Will Hukka, a 34th Inf. Div. battle NCO, echoed the importance of implementing those procedures.

"They've given us ideas for products that we work into the exercise and that helps us accomplish our mission," he said of the First Army OC/T's. "They don't do it for you or tell you exactly how it should be done, but they point you in the right direction."

He reported that the exercise has been "high speed with a high op tempo, but its good training."

That training can only help, added Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jeremy Myers, a 34th ID human resources technician.

"It's been good field training, setting up tents, taking them down, getting the generators set up, and the power distributed. It's good to get the hands-on experience," he said.

Meanwhile, Chaplain (Maj.) Jamison Bowman, 157th Infantry Brigade chaplain, said his "role is to ensure that the division is providing the best religious support possible, and as realistic as you can get in a training environment. The best way to do that is to spend time with Division, and this particular Division unit ministry team is extremely sharp. They are what I would call a 90 percent solution."

However, he added, "They've done counterinsurgency operations, so I'm trying to get them to see what a ministry would look like in another environment."

That creates challenges, which the OC/Ts and training Soldiers work together to resolve.

"In a field problem, you are looking at how their systems work and asking are they practical to providing ministry. The unit ministry team I am working with is very strong, but there is always need for improvement and they are very teachable," Bowman said.

"A successful exercise from the ministry perspective is two-fold," Bowman continued. "One, are they providing real-world ministry for their people, which they are. Second, are they improving, do they leave improved as a UMT on how they operate?"

Both the OC/Ts and the Reserve Component Soldiers consider the Warfighter to be time well spent with one another.

"Working with the Guard and Reserve is very rewarding and very challenging," Bowman said. "We can see their improvement from day one to day 14."