FORT HOOD, Texas -- Leaders left their formations behind as they headed to the wide-open training areas during the Maneuver Leaders Course here, April 30, 2015.
Company and battalion commanders from across 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team "Ironhorse," 1st Cavalry Division, spent four days in their tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles conducting decisive action training in preparation for the brigade's upcoming rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.
"We wanted to make sure we have a team that understands what we expect," said Col. John DiGiambattista, commander, 1st ABCT. "The Army's 8-step training model focuses on training leaders. We are going to start our gunnery in three weeks, so for the training model, this was a critical event to train leaders."
While the planning was difficult, DiGiambattista said the training each officer received will have massive effects on future missions.
"It's difficult to bring out all of our company commanders, all our battalion commanders, to the field," DiGiambattista said. "The payback is our leaders understanding what is expected, and them being empowered, having the mission command discipline to train their formation in the skills we need to win - that's what we're after."
Leaders with their crews spent day and night going through different skills and tactics as they faced off against an opposing force. One recurring concept leaders rehearsed throughout the training was the ability to quickly translate commands into action.
"Everything we did here directly supports the concept of mission command," said Capt. Dirk Van Ingen, commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st ABCT. "It allows us as commanders to understand what the commander's intent is, and what right looks like."
The training prevents missteps and miscommunication, said Van Ingen.
"The commander can't always be everywhere, but he can give us his intent, and our task and purpose," he said. "Now we can be confident in executing, knowing that we are going to achieve the end state that he wants."
Capt. John Kearby, a member of 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st ABCT, thinks his time in the field has better prepared him to take command in the near future.
"I came from a light [infantry] community before, so a heavy field exercise, where I got to fight in a vehicle before I'm in command, was huge," said Kearby. "It gave me an opportunity to develop myself and ask questions in a low-stress environment. This is helpful before I get to command, because I now have a good understanding of what the brigade commander expects and how to execute that."
Ironhorse Soldiers will conduct gunnery operations throughout the summer as they prepare for their NTC rotation in the fall.
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