Fort Polk, La. -- Capt. Brittney Lane, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear officer with 10th Mountain Division (LI), didn't quite know what to expect when she was given the task as the officer in charge of the Exercise Support Group for 1st Brigade Combat Team's rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La.
The purpose of the Joint Readiness Training Center, or JRTC, is to test a unit's ability to perform in combat scenarios in preparation for future or current conflicts. The two-week training rotation is tailored specific to a unit's needs and is aimed at improving combat readiness and increasing effectiveness.
The hard work and dedication of infantry Soldiers in the field is eventually recognized through overall training evaluations, but what most people don't ever see is the behind-the-scenes planning and coordination that occurs in order to achieve a successful unit rotation.
Medical support, exercise role players, opposing forces and observer controllers are a few of the many supporting elements put into play to create a realistic training environment and to support training requirements for the units on the ground. Without supporting elements, the mission would fail, and without the exercise support group, the mission wouldn't have been possible.
In the past, the exercise support group officer in charge was typically filled by the brigade supporting the rotation, but with numerous training requirements occurring simultaneously, the bri-gade sought support from the 10th Mountain Division higher headquarters, and when they did, Lane was up for the challenge.
"I've never been on this side of it," Lane said. "I've always been on the side of a training unit, so before I got here I really didn't know who to talk to and where to get certain resources."
After her arrival at Fort Polk, nearly two weeks before the start of the exercise, she went straight to work signing for barracks and coordinating to make sure more than 1,000 Soldiers in support of the JRTC rotation were administratively tracked, accounted for, fed and had a place to sleep.
"I think she did (an) exceptional (job), considering that her first week here she was by herself and had to maintain 24-hour operations," said Spc. Sarah Barclay, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle maintainer for the 41st Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, who assisted Lane with exercise support requirements midway through the rotation. "She was operating on very little sleep just to manage to get everything done."
With so many Soldiers arriving to fill various support roles, Lane had to learn quickly.
"This has definitely been a learning curve," she said. "I learned about all the processes that need to happen to keep the mission going."
As challenging as her role may have been during the rotation, it is only one of the many challenges Lane has encountered throughout her military career.
A couple of years ago, Lane was part of the first wave of 10th Mountain Division female Soldiers to volunteer and attend a Pre-Ranger course at the Fort Drum Light Fighters School, in hopes of continuing on to Ranger School.
When she first learned about the Army opening up combat courses to women, she knew it was something that she wanted to do. With the support of her unit, she began to prepare for the course.
"I wanted the challenge, and my unit was really supportive," Lane said. "I really enjoyed being a part of (1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment), and I had a lot of really good mentors who constantly motivated me to be better."
Unfortunately, she broke her foot during the course, which prevented her from continuing. Despite the setback, she remains grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and grow as a leader.
"It was pretty embarrassing coming out with a cast instead of a tab," she said jokingly, "but it taught me a lot about my physical and mental limits."
Lane is in full support of the Army's recent change allowing female Soldiers to fill combat roles and attend combat courses and schools.
"It's awesome! There's going to be some (women) out there that will do really well, and I'm sure some who won't do that great mainly because of our general size, which makes it harder to carry larger loads," she said. "But for the ones that can do it, I think that's the whole point. If you can meet the standards, why not?"
Over the years, the U.S. Army has come a long way toward the integration of female Soldiers throughout its ranks.
"Actually I'm really glad that I can be in the Army during this time period where we do have all these opportunities," Lane said. "It's unfortunate that a lot of women didn't have the same opportunities in the past, so I count myself fortunate that I could be here at the right time to try new things."
Lane attributes most of her military success thus far to her upbringing.
"My dad was in the Army, and he taught me a lot of the lessons that I needed to learn beforehand," she said, "and he helped me in developing my personality. I liked adventure and I liked helping people, and it's just the kind of job and career that I was focused on doing."
It's that mentality that most would agree makes Lane a great leader. There seemed to always be a line of Soldiers waiting to talk to Lane about their issues during the training rotation, and despite her busy schedule, she always stopped what she was doing to make sure everyone received the assistance he or she needed.
"I think it's amazing how approachable she is," Barclay said. "Even as a junior-enlisted Soldier, I felt like I could go to her with any problem and she'd do her utmost to fix it or at least point me in the right direction to get it fixed."
Lane said she hopes to eventually transfer into the psychological operations field, but for now she continues to stay focused on whatever comes her way.
Whether it's leading the support for JRTC rotations or taking advantage of recent combat opportunities, Lane is one of many female Soldiers in today's Army who continue to pave the way for future Soldiers just as did the ones who came before.
"It's going to be really great 20 years from now when seeing women in combat is the norm and people are a little more used to it," she said. "In the past, (women) weren't able to visualize themselves in a certain career field because it wasn't open to them, but now kids today can start thinking about that from an early age and actually aim for it."
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