Rifle Focus: Battle Group Poland’s capstone maneuver exercise

By Spc. Jameson HarrisNovember 3, 2021

U.S. Army Spc. Michael Schwader, a Soldier assigned to 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, pulls security during Rifle Focus, with a M240B machine gun, in Bemowo Piskie Training Area Oct. 16, 2021. Different companies competed against each other as part of Rifle Focus, Battle Group Poland’s two-week long capstone maneuver exercise. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jameson Harris)
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Michael Schwader, a Soldier assigned to 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, pulls security during Rifle Focus, with a M240B machine gun, in Bemowo Piskie Training Area Oct. 16, 2021. Different companies competed against each other as part of Rifle Focus, Battle Group Poland’s two-week long capstone maneuver exercise. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jameson Harris) (Photo Credit: Spc. Jameson Harris) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Sgt. Sig Johnson, a Soldier assigned to 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, aims an inert M3 Carl Gustov anti-tank rocket at a designated target during Rifle Focus on Oct. 16, 2021 in Bemowo Piskie Training Area. Different companies competed against each other as part of Rifle Focus, Battle Group Poland’s two-week long capstone maneuver exercise. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jameson Harris)
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Sig Johnson, a Soldier assigned to 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, aims an inert M3 Carl Gustov anti-tank rocket at a designated target during Rifle Focus on Oct. 16, 2021 in Bemowo Piskie Training Area. Different companies competed against each other as part of Rifle Focus, Battle Group Poland’s two-week long capstone maneuver exercise. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jameson Harris) (Photo Credit: Spc. Jameson Harris) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Vireak Sok, with 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, leads a Soldier through a forest during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 8, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes)
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Vireak Sok, with 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, leads a Soldier through a forest during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 8, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) (Photo Credit: Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment prepare a .50 caliber M2 machine gun on a Stryker during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 6, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes)
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment prepare a .50 caliber M2 machine gun on a Stryker during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 6, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) (Photo Credit: Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army military vehicles with 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, take defensive positions during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 6, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes)
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army military vehicles with 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, take defensive positions during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 6, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) (Photo Credit: Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) VIEW ORIGINAL

BPTA, Poland — Battle Group Poland held its capstone multinational maneuver exercise called Rifle Focus from Oct. 4-18 at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, exercising support capabilities, as well as command and control.

The training event brought together U.S. Army, Romanian, Polish Territorial Defense Force, and Croatian soldiers, testing them as a joint effort. It was the first of its kind training event. Each 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment company integrated support assets, competing with each other in a team-based competition. In a winner-takes-all bracket, each team received points as they engaged each other's objectives, squads and military vehicles.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Craig Boyles, the Battle Group commander, oversaw the entire training operation. “In combat, you’re facing someone just as good as you are, someone wanting to win as much as you are, so we’re replicating that,” he said.

Teams were tested in three phases: First, alert, marshal and deploy. Second, move into contact, and finally, attack and defend. The teams consisted of Infantry Soldiers, combat engineers, artillery, recon and support assets. It is a unique training experience because nothing is scripted or pre-planned to mimic the unpredictability of combat.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Allaway, a platoon Sergeant with 3-161 Infantry “Dark Rifles,” loved seeing all of their training come together in a dramatic fashion for this event.

“It’s like when you get a jigsaw puzzle with one thousand pieces, and you have all the corners and edges, and you finally get to fill in the middle,” he said.

The competition was not just an event for the Army soldiers, but for all the NATO countries participating alongside the U.S. Army. Croatian Army 2nd Lieutenant Luka Pavičić was a platoon leader during Rifle Focus. “Rifle Focus was a great opportunity to work with our Allies in [the] field in order to test our tactics and find the best possible way to work together and achieve victory on the battlefield,” Pavičić said.

Croatia Land Forces Privat Ivan Kudric, from Storm Battery, takes fire elements on a Multiple Rocket Launcher System sighting device during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 8, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes)
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Croatia Land Forces Privat Ivan Kudric, from Storm Battery, takes fire elements on a Multiple Rocket Launcher System sighting device during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 8, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) (Photo Credit: Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) VIEW ORIGINAL
Croatia Land Forces soldiers from Storm Battery, respond to a simulated alert to deploy during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 6, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes)
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Croatia Land Forces soldiers from Storm Battery, respond to a simulated alert to deploy during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 6, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and maneuver tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) (Photo Credit: Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) VIEW ORIGINAL
Romanian Land Forces soldiers from Sky Guardians receive a call for fire during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 8, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and manuever tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes)
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Romanian Land Forces soldiers from Sky Guardians receive a call for fire during Rifle Focus at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, October 8, 2021. Rifle Focus is a force-on-force U.S.-led training exercise that involves allies from Battle Group Poland, supporting two U.S. infantry companies. This exercise measures command and control and manuever tactics to support the NATO alliance. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) (Photo Credit: Spc. Osvaldo Fuentes) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Sgt. James Wright, a combat engineer assigned to 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, teaches Polish Territorial Defense Force soldiers how to utilize soft demo explosively formed projectiles during Rifle Focus on Oct. 16, 2021 in Bemowo Piskie Training Area. This demonstration was one of many opportunities NATO allies had to work together and learn from each other during Rifle Focus, enhancing interoperability. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jameson Harris)
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. James Wright, a combat engineer assigned to 3rd Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, teaches Polish Territorial Defense Force soldiers how to utilize soft demo explosively formed projectiles during Rifle Focus on Oct. 16, 2021 in Bemowo Piskie Training Area. This demonstration was one of many opportunities NATO allies had to work together and learn from each other during Rifle Focus, enhancing interoperability. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jameson Harris) (Photo Credit: Spc. Jameson Harris) VIEW ORIGINAL

At the end, Bear Company came away with the victory. They were awarded a signature banner and tomahawk in a ceremony held on Oct. 26. The tomahawk represents the history of the Dark Rifles in their home state of Washington.

“I’m tremendously proud of the way our team fought collectively,” said Capt. Trey Botten, Bear Company commander. “We really used this opportunity to build Bear Company [and Battle Group Poland] into the premier fighting force that we want it to be.”