FORT GREELY, Alaska -- Alaska Army National Guard military police take a few days away from their critical site security mission to validate their Soldier leadership skills during Operation Ghost, March 8-11.
Normally charged with the mission of protecting the ground-based midcourse defense system at Fort Greely's Missile Defense Complex, Soldiers of Company A, Military Police, 49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD), Alaska Army National Guard assessed their capabilities to respond to realistic scenarios that all military police officers face.
Soldiers from the company's 1st and 2nd Platoons stepped away from their normal duties for "Operation Ghost 2016," a four-day exercise designed to test small-unit leadership skills and assess their Army Warrior Task annual training requirements. The exercise also helps prepare Company A for participation in other exercises that are also used to evaluate the 49th Missile Defense Battalion's ability to execute their mission essential tasks in support of U.S. Northern Command's ballistic missile defense mission.
"This exercise was designed to develop squad leaders with respect to their troop leading procedures," said Capt. Kendall Greenleaf, commander, Company A. "The MP mission is a squad leader fight each and every day. As such, we must empower our squad leaders to lead while building a platform of trust that their Soldiers are willing to stand on."
The 24/7/365 operations on the Missile Defense Complex do not always allow Company A to train and assess some of the more typical MP and Army warrior tasks. Operation Ghost allowed the MPs the freedom to train in an environment with less operational restrictions, therefore giving greater freedom and flexibility to train on the desired tasks.
For two days, 1st and 2nd Platoons were evaluated by observer controller trainers using a master scenario events list, which contained both expected and variable injects including tasks at the individual, team, and squad level at Fort Greely's Combined Arms Collective Training Facility. The expected and variable injects from the list allowed the team and squad leadership to execute company-level operation orders, perform troop-leading procedures, as well as pre-combat checks and inspections.
"As a platoon leader, this exercise really provided me the opportunity to understand the planning and execution aspect of the MP training," said 1st. Lt. Sharmila Lever of 1st Platoon. "It allowed me to demonstrate my sound judgement and mental agility in different types of scenarios and allowed my squad leaders to provide input and gave them the ability to see that I trust in their domain knowledge and tactical skills."
Several of the more experienced noncommissioned officers supported the exercise by serving in the role of neutral civilians or opposing forces as well as OC/Ts. These experienced Soldiers were able to provide their assessment to company leadership during post-event, after action reviews highlighting areas for sustainment or improvement.
Although some of the situations Soldiers encountered during Operation Ghost are not necessarily the same as those they would face performing their real-world missile defense security mission at Fort Greely, the vast majority of individual and collective tasks do have a direct correlation to that mission. As to those that don't directly support the 49th's security mission, they were all specifically designed to support the Army Warrior Tasks that all MPs perform, enabling them to maintain proficiency.
"The exercise raised our awareness of tactical skills and level of tactical skills. It built team cohesion and team awareness. It provided a morale boost for the entire platoon and provided different scenarios to provoke mental agility and sound judgement," said Staff Sgt. Robert Monteith of 1st Platoon.
Other members of the company agreed that the exercise provided a unique opportunity to work together and assess small-unit military police leadership.
"It provided a realistic approach to operations. The first time for the platoon to work together on a military police skill set. It identified the strengths and weaknesses of the platoon so we can continue to improve where needed," said Spc. Travis Hall, also of 1st Platoon.
Company A's Soldiers at the geographically remote Fort Greely perform their presidentially-directed national security mission 24/7/365 under some of the harshest environmental conditions in North America. With daylight ranging from a scant three hours per day and -60 degrees Fahrenheit to +80 degrees Fahrenheit and 24 hours of sunlight, these Soldiers guard some of the most critical defense infrastructure in the Department of Defense.
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