Head of Pakistani army visits National Training Center

By Mr. Gustavo Bahena (Irwin)November 24, 2014

COL Richard Wilson describes training with Pakistani Gen. Raheel Sharif
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Genernal Raheel Sharif meets Soldiers of 11ACR
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FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- The chief of army staff for Pakistan visited this installation, Nov. 21.

General Raheel Sharif received a command brief at the National Training Center headquarters before visiting Operations Group. There, the general listened to a description of an exercise design for rotational units, who train here. That morning, the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team/4th Infantry Division, was conducting their 14th and last day of training.

Sharif received a helicopter tour of the "battle field," where the brigade would be engaging an opposing force, the Donovians, role-played by the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He then arrived to the National Urban Warfighting Center above the training village "Razish." The NTC Chief of Staff Col. Richard Wilson and Maj. Robert Ensslin, Vulture Team/OPS GRP, briefed the general on training scenarios that take place in the village.

"The town below is comprised of 583 buildings and instrumented with more than 300 cameras, smoke and smell generators," Ensslin explained. "This is the largest of our four, fully instrumented towns. We train 10 rotations annually with these facilities."

Sharif met Soldiers of the 11th ACR, who provide the contemporary operating environment force. He shook hands with the servicemembers and thanked them for the training they provide.

"It's a great facility," Sharif said about the NTC. "Everyone has a role. The training is helpful in saving lives."