FORT KNOX, Ky. -- It all looks like business as usual. But when the 398th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion visited Fort Knox to train with the 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 410th Regiment, 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade, from Nov. 28 to Dec. 4, the event represented a broadening of mission for the 4-410th Observer Coach/Trainers.
For this exercise, 4th Cav. OC/Ts would not only observe and evaluate Soldiers executing training lanes, but would first deliver prerequisite Army Warrior Task training and 350-1 training.
"Right now we're doing move, communicate, decontamination, land navigation, hand grenades and first aid," explained 4-410th OC/T Sgt. 1st Class Shamika Duckett.
"As OC/Ts we're responsible for going out to the units and evaluating training and providing feedback so they know what direction they need to go in future training," Duckett said. "However right now we are training them for this portion, and once we go through the battle drills, that's when we'll go into OC/T mode, to evaluate them and make sure they've learned everything we've trained them on."
"Typically they would have already done their training before they got to us. We would just be assessing, coaching and mentoring now," said Master Sgt. Joshua Garcia, 4-410th BSB S3 NCOIC and Medical Treatment OC/T.
Instead, the 398th CSSB is taking advantage of the resources available at Fort Knox, which include ranges, a Mission Command Training Center, and Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain (MOUT) cities.
"Initially they were going to train through Fort Hood. We've lined up all of the training required for this unit to prepare for a future deployment," said Garcia.
398th CSSB Commander, Lt. Col Bradley Miller, expressed his gratitude for all the logistical support behind the scenes as well. "Fort Knox has been doing a superb job of preparing us for eventual deployment. This includes the coordination and the standing up of the Mobilization Unit Inprocessing Center, which is the synchronization cell that coordinates the Logistics Readiness Center, the trainers and the regional support group associated with the installation as well as the training audience, to make sure that when we arrive here we're ready to interact with the installation."
1st Sgt. Myron Page, Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade First Sergeant, explained that the brigade took advantage of 398th CSSB's training to fulfill other requirements as well. "HHT provided 12 OC/Ts to assist with the 398th's annual training, and were able to Phase III re-certify our OC/Ts as well.
"Phase III is your right-seat ride with a senior OC/T to conduct actual observation and training as well as the final after-action review with the training unit," Page said.
"4-410th has been knocking it out of the park, so to speak, in terms of their heavy amount of effort to prepare for our training on this post," said Miller. "(4-410tth BSB Commander), Lt. Col. Tomika Seaberry and her Soldiers are doing a tremendous job, both as trainers and as OC/Ts."
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