This week Observer Controller Trainers and Staff from the Joint
Multinational Readiness Center concluded their support to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Regionally Allocated Force, during two weeks of Command Post Exercise and Live-Fire Exercises conducted at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Aug. 8-22, 2017.
Combined Resolve IX included more than 2,750 U.S. participants. The units are the Mission Command Element, led by the 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div., from Fort Carson, Colorado and the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, from Fort Drum, New York. The 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div. and 10th CAB are designated as part of the RAF for U.S. European Command.
The JMRC OCTs in conjunction with Joint Multinational Simulations Center utilized both a constructive and live environment to assess the readiness of the RAF through emerging Objective-T standards, a system designed to measure unit's readiness. Exercise CBR IX differed greatly from CBR VIII exercises due to the presence of four other units participating in the exercise in the constructive environment. Maj. Christopher Blaha, OCT, said that the participation of these units in the constructive environment assisted the RAF by "adding complexity for the brigade, enabling more complex brigade decisions and also helping to achieve the Objective-T standard of participation by subordinate units."
Aside from operating the range and ensuring the safety standards were met, JMRC's OCTs also provided critical feedback to the RAF enabling them to build on lessons learned and meet Objective-T requirements.
The 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div. has been deployed to Germany since January 2017 and has previously participated in the CBR VIII Force-on-force, and LFXs. Maj. Blaha noted that in CBR IX the brigade had seen great improvements from their already high state of readiness due in-part to the effective coaching and teaching provided by JMRC OCTs.
The challenge in planning and executing brigade level LFXs becomes exacerbated when outside of home station. The 7ATC team helps the RAF overcome these obstacles by incorporating the constructive scenario and providing OCTs to help with external evaluations. Maj. Blaha said, "A U.S. based brigade could reach to their sister brigades and battalions to have that external evaluation, but we provide the coaching and teaching that is inherent with the experience we have as OCTs." With the help of 7ATC, the RAF was able to achieve all of the Objective-T for Brigade and Battalion Combined Arms Live-Fire.
Social Sharing