FORT BENNING, Ga., (Jan. 27 2016) -- Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course and Armor Basic Officer Leader Course students took part in a combined arms operation Jan. 20 at the Close Combat Tactical Trainer at the Clarke Simulation Center.
The mission was a combined arms operation at the company level, said Capt. Brett Wright, B Troop commander for ABOLC. Each company was comprised of two tank platoons and a Bradley platoon, manned by the IBOLC students.
The students used the simulated platforms and conducted an assault on a mechanized Infantry unit that was in a defensive position.
"The objective is to introduce them to combined arms operations," said Capt. Lazaro Oliva, Armor operations officer.
The training was one in a series of five combined arms operations meant to provide training on the platform, experience Infantry and Armor operations in an urban environment, and integration of Infantry and Armor working together.
"It is a decisive-action training environment, which is the training scenario that the Army has moved to simulate a contemporary enemy which a young officer or Soldier can expect to encounter on a modern battlefield," Oliva said.
IBOLC students going to mechanized units - an Armor Brigade Combat Team - used the training as familiarization. At the same time, the training introduced ABOLC students to the benefits of having Infantry attached to their units.
"For the Infantry lieutenants, this is the first time they're in a mechanized vehicle," Oliva said.
2nd Lt. Tom Thai, IBOLC student, training was valuable for more than just familiarization, but also for networking within the Army. He said he met a Soldier in ABOLC with orders to go to Fort Irwin, California - the same military post he was going to.
"The friendships they make here will pay serious dividends when they get to their units and they know people," Oliva said.
Across the Armor and Infantry courses, the Army is aimed at incorporating the smart, fast, lethal and precise principles.
"This is really getting at smart and fast," Oliva said.
The training touched on smart in that the officers had to make a comprehensive plan that takes into consideration both the terrain and the enemy; they had to take everything they'd learned and apply it to the planning of the mission. The training touched on fast because the officers in leadership positions had to make quick decisions that would directly affect the operation.
The training was also smart in that the benefit of having Armor and Infantry together on one installation allowed for joint training opportunities that should not be passed up.
"Moving (ABOLC) here, having IBOLC already here, it makes no sense to not have them interact," Wright said. "Especially since they will continue to interact throughout their careers.
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