SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — The sounds of machine gun fire, helicopters flying overhead and explosions filled the air as Soldiers assigned to the 25th Infantry Division fought together, here, Sept. 12 -- except this wasn't on the physical battlefield.
More than a dozen Soldiers from the division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team and 25th Combat Aviation Bde. were conducting a live computer simulation at the Mission Training Complex, here, for a future capabilities exercise (CAPEX).
Elements from 2-35th Inf. Regiment and 29th Bde. Engineer Battalion, 3rd BCT, and 3-25th Avn. Regt., 25th CAB, worked in concert during the two-day long rehearsal.
"We're going through our scheme of maneuver, identifying key points and key locations for our Bravo Company, 2-35th Inf. Regt., which is our line company going through the CAPEX," said 1st Lt. Jonathan Di Bianca, operations training officer, 2-35th Inf. Regt.
Di Bianca, leading the rehearsal, stated the rehearsal would allow the enablers, such as platoon leaders leading their elements, to the pilots flying AH-46 Apache helicopters, so they could understand their roles safely during the simulated battle.
"The simulation they're using is Virtual Battle Space 3," said Larry Hann, simulations branch, Mission Training Complex. "It's a first-person shooter simulation, so they can do a mission without the overhead."
According to Hann, the use of actual vehicles, requesting land and ammunition, and the physical movement of troops to be used at Schofield Barrack's Battle Area Complex is unnecessary in the virtual world.
"This is an excellent rehearsal tool to get all their moving pieces in place," he added.
Platoon leaders and sergeants worked diligently to figure out the fine intricacies of the simulation, so they could be fully effective as their experience developed.
"We're trying to set up on how things are supposed to roll between all the different elements," said 1st Lt. Nic Rogers, platoon leader, Co. B, 2-35th Inf. Regt. "We're getting into our starting positions right now, and we're trying to see what our triggers are for movement for the upcoming CAPEX."
As time progressed, Rogers found he was understanding his infantry platoon's role on the virtual battlefield, and it improved in due time.
"I have a better picture of what we're doing as a platoon within the grand scheme of things," Rogers said.
It wasn't just infantry leaders taking charge on the computer-generated battleground. High above the battle below were UAVs feeding invaluable intelligence to the Soldiers below.
"I'm being an asset to the infantry," said Spc. Edwin Polio, unmanned aircraft systems operator, Co. D, 29th BEB. "My role is to fly over the objective and find the targets."
Polio said he was excited on getting a chance to use the VSB3 interactive system.
"I found myself working better as a unit with everyone," Polio said. "I've never been a part of an exercise as this before, so it's pretty cool."
The Soldiers of the Tropic Lightning Division found great success using their virtual weapons in preparation for next month's CAPEX.
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