FORT RUCKER, Ala. (February 5, 2015) -- Different forms of training can be seen performed on Fort Rucker daily, but there's also training that's not seen by many -- field-training exercises that put Soldiers to the test out in the field.
The 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group conducted first-time field training exercises at Hammond Range Jan. 26-30. The exercise took Soldiers into an austere environment to train on how to operate and support their battalion in an environment where there is no infrastructure, said Col. Douglas C. Van Weelden, 164th TAOG commander.
"This is the first time that the TAOG headquarters has done this type of training," he said, adding that the unit's battalion conducts this type of field training event every three months. "The purpose of this training event is to determine how we do this. How do we go from point zero to do what we're suppose to do, which is support the battalion?
"The organization is trained and ready to do performance functions. How we do this in this kind of environment is not really something that's been done in the past," the commander said. "A lot of the Soldiers here have never really had to set up tents in a field environment and operate, work and live out here. So, this was an opportunity for the non-commissioned officers and company leadership to train Soldiers in their warrior tasks and drills, and get them away from the office -- away from the main post and focus on the training and basic skills and task."
During the exercise, the Soldiers had to set up an operating base that included medical tents, triage tents, motor maintenance tents, field feeding sections, command tents, a life support area, potable water, a sustainment cell and a military kitchen trailer, all while securing the area.
This training is part of a three-phase training process that includes a "crawl, walk and run phase," according to 1st Sgt. Larry Jarrett, Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 164th TAOG. The process is currently in its walk phase.
"We conduct training weekly on Thursdays and we pick an event to set up and train, whether it's maintenance on some of the generators or vehicles, setting up radio communications, setting up tents, running power generation, setting up the mobile kitchen," he said. "Each week we picked a particular set of training to do, then we culminate now with this training, and we take all of those things we trained individually and put them together."
The Soldiers must learn to live and operate through the week in the environment that they set up, and conduct their training and lives as they would if they were in a deployed environment.
"Half of our day is spent focusing on individual Soldier training, then they'll break down here, have lunch, and go back into their tents and have various staff sections and start learning their staff functions in this environment," said Van Weelden. "It's a great opportunity to get both of those things addressed in a field training exercise and start somewhere."
During the exercise, Soldiers also took part in combat casualty training where they were reacting to a wounded Soldier in a combat situation.
Teams were set up as a check on learning, and they went through a step-by-step process by which the Soldiers went over different aspects, such as carrying techniques and treating open chest wounds with an entrance and exit wound.
"We put it all together and did a relay, so that we could show the Soldiers the proper techniques on how to do things," Jarrett said. "As they're moving back and forth, this is a good way for them to see how physically draining it is on their bodies and learn why it's important for us to do physical training every day. We do that so that in combat situations we're physically fit enough to be able to get our Soldiers out, if need be, and using proper technique is key to everything."
Technique and training is key to success, he said, and another reason Jarrett said training like this is crucial is because it's difficult to get the entire unit together for a training exercise such as this.
"As an HHC, a headquarters element, it's tough for us to get all the Soldiers together at one time in one area to do this type of training," he said. "We support the rest of the brigade, so we have multiple battalions and other units that we support, so this is a great opportunity for us to get this type of training."
The training was also a good opportunity to focus on leader development, said Van Weelden.
"It's really one of those fundamental and foundational requirements that we have as an Army going into the future," said the colonel. "The tactics that we use next and the procedures that we use next will all change. They will all change and it's very hard to predict, but one thing we know for certain is that we have to have leaders who can think, adapt and be good, solid leaders. That's what this is really all about -- giving them challenges, new experiences and letting them think their way through and adapting those solutions to those problems, while also managing the risk levels."
Related Links:
USAACE and Fort Rucker on Twitter
Social Sharing