188th Infantry Brigade (CATB) provides support during Warfighter Exercise

By Staff Sgt. Tanjie DanielsOctober 12, 2021

U.S. Army human resources and medical specialists and officers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, participate in Warfighter 22-1 in the reserve command post on Fort Stewart, Georgia, Oct. 4, 2021. The WFX occurred across an extensive network of computers in a simulation integrated around the world, for V Corps and U.S. Army Europe and Africa across the Atlantic Ocean, and their supporting units in multiple states across the U.S. For the 3rd ID and its subordinate staffs and commands, the event played out at the Mission Command Training site near Fort Stewart.
U.S. Army human resources and medical specialists and officers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, participate in Warfighter 22-1 in the reserve command post on Fort Stewart, Georgia, Oct. 4, 2021. The WFX occurred across an extensive network of computers in a simulation integrated around the world, for V Corps and U.S. Army Europe and Africa across the Atlantic Ocean, and their supporting units in multiple states across the U.S. For the 3rd ID and its subordinate staffs and commands, the event played out at the Mission Command Training site near Fort Stewart. (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Jason Hull) VIEW ORIGINAL

This particular exercise included senior leaders from 3rd Infantry Division, who wanted to develop new processes and techniques for warfighting, as well as begin solving future challenges.

Maj. Gen. Charles Costanza, the commanding general of the 3rd ID, expressed that to achieve a high state of mission readiness Soldiers must expertly coach, mentor, and train, as well as be coached, mentored and trained.

His staff looked to the observer, coach/trainers of the 188th Inf. Bde., a combined arms training brigade located at Fort Stewart, whose higher headquarters is First Army Division East, located at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

The CATB, whose mission is to support pre-mobilization training of Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve units, provided OC/Ts to observe 3rd ID conducting their exercise, provide feedback on their processes and procedures, and ensure all required tools to successfully execute staff operations were in place.

“Our team hoped to enable the 3rd ID staff to see themselves from a different perspective,” said Lt. Col. Vaughn Strong Jr., commander of 1st Battalion, 306th Infantry Regiment, 188th Infantry Brigade (CATB). “We actively observed their processes and procedures, identified friction points, and made suggestions based in Army and joint doctrine to reduce friction.”

Although the CATB’s role focused on the 3rd ID staff during the Warfighter Exercise; it was another welcomed opportunity to work hand-in-hand and continue building that cross-agency relationship.

Strong said participating in the WFX gave his OC/Ts some insight on how operations occur at the division level and how that affects operations at the brigade and battalion level.

“188th CATB and 3rd ID historically have a great working relationship and mutually support each other whenever possible. This exercise was no different,” said Strong. “The 3rd ID grew as a team with OC/T feedback and the OC/Ts received vital experience on division operations which enhanced their knowledge and increased our ability to support our Guard and Reserve partners.”

Strong said that his team met the goals set going into the Warfighter.

“The OC/T teams worked tirelessly to share Mission Command Training Program best practices and offer suggestions to enable their counterparts to be successful,” he said, “while 3rd ID enabled access for our teams which enabled our growth.”

“3rd ID accepted our team with open arms and it facilitated a learning environment on both ends,” he added “We hope to continue these mutually beneficial operations as 3rd ID continues its Warfighter series moving forward.”