FORT SILL, Oklahoma (Dec. 3, 2019) -- Name a better duo than Soldiers and training; I'll wait. Millennial aphorisms aside, our Soldiers only become proficient with training, and they only become experts after repetition of that training.
The success of the Army coincides with how well it trains its Soldiers. It falls upon the Army's leaders, commissioned and noncommissioned officers, to get the most out of training.
Good training requires initiative and detailed planning. It is easy to execute the bare minimum, to conduct only what is required. When there is an opportunity to maximize training, though, it is imperative that leaders exploit the occasion, conduct the additional planning, and build proficiency among their Soldiers.
The anecdote of Operation Mjolmir Crush, a mission that took place at Fort Sill, reinforces that additional coordination and planning can pay dividends for the Soldiers being trained and subsequently the Army.
On Nov.18, four Army units took part in joint mission Operation Mjolmir Crush. The units and many of the personnel within these units were unfamiliar with each other, but thanks to the initiative of the Special Operations Element and the Air Defense Artillery (ADA) schoolhouse these units were able to coordinate and integrate with each other.
The primary objective of this operation was to certify the Minnesota National Guard's 53rd Combat Aviation Battalion (CAB) as it prepared for deployment. The 53rd CAB was tasked with moving a platoon-sized element of Soldiers to a compound, and picking them up from a designated landing zone one hour later.
The 53rd CAB could have used almost anyone to serve as Chalks for the mission, but Sgt. 1st Class Robert Veloz, of the Special Operations Element, worked with ADA schoolhouse leadership to use this operation as an opportunity to train ADA Captains Career Course (CCC) and Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC) students.
The ground training that the students conducted after being dropped served as a great example of maximizing training. The Soldiers being dropped on ground could have made the choice to simply wait for pickup. This is a case of choosing the "hard right" over "easy wrong."
The Soldiers on ground capitalized on the hour they had to become familiar with Army assets and conduct repetitions of a skill.
The CCC and BOLC students were tasked with conducting Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT), clearing the compound at which they were dropped. In addition, they needed to work with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams and military working dogs, learning to integrate them into MOUT.
For many of the second lieutenants, this was the first time they had done MOUT since ROTC, or for some, their first time conducting MOUT. Also none of them had ever worked with EOD or military working dog teams. Regardless, they rehearsed before the execution and left with relevant takeaways that they could apply to many facets of their Army careers.
Second Lt. Sean Kirchner, who served as a squad leader during operations, shared a detailed and nuanced perspective after the training.
When asked if his expectations had been subverted in any way, Kirchner said, "I learned that room clearing is a minuscule part of actually clearing an urban objective. Most of our time during the actions-on phase was spent outside of a building, moving between objectives and ducking enemy fire.
"I learned that … at times as a leader you will want to stop and assess the situation, but that is not always a viable option. I was balancing keeping command and control of my squad, avoiding simulated small arms and indirect Fires, and clearing the objective," Kirchner said.
Kirchner spoke to decision-making on the battlefield and communicating well with subordinates. These facets of leadership will never be obsolete, and the operation proved that with the young officers.
Operation Mjolmir Crush enlightened its participants on the importance of communication, with many lieutenants expounding upon the necessity of sufficient planning.
The ADA students took a concept of the operation 96 hours before execution and use the military decision making process to accomplish a mission. They also learned about the importance and functionality of EOD and working dogs, and how these specialized units assist Soldiers on the ground.
Even though the primary goal was to certify the 53rd CAB, leaders were opportunistic and imparted knowledge and experience to young air defense officers. Operation Mjolmir Crush may be a didactic tale, but that makes it no less relevant to leaders who take of it a lesson.
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