10th Mountain Division Receives Training from 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)

Close Quarters Battle

10th Mountain Division Receives Close Quarter Battles Training from 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)

Spc. Kade M. Bowers

27th Public Affairs Detachment

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (May 19, 2023) – “Go right!” could be heard from every corner on a close quarters range on Fort Drum, N.Y., as Soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, received training May 18, 2023 from Soldiers belonging to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Soldiers from 3rd SFG(A) trained “Warriors” from 1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division, in close quarter battles operations over the past week. The training taught Soldiers how to perform new types of reconnaissance and clear rooms in a combat scenario, and it gave them further insight into how to conduct their mission sets.

“This training isn’t just moving through the house and shooting at targets,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Slaby, detachment commander of Operational Detachment Alpha 3112, 3rd SFG(A). “It’s also implementing the planning processes we’ve been teaching them throughout the week.”

The event trained members of fire support teams from 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st BCT. The training also provided an opportunity for Soldiers in the formation to interact with and learn from Special Forces operatives.

“This is great for us,” said Spc. Kevin Brown, a forward observer with 3-6 FA. “Getting to see these guys and learn about their career field not only helps grow our own mission set capabilities, but also motivates us to continue that growth.”

Brown is not the only Soldier in the formation who feels the profound effect that working with 3rd SFG(A) has on the force of 3-6 FA and 1st BCT. 1st Lt. Evan Dacey, a fire support officer with 3-6 FA, said he feels that this training will help bolster the combat capability of the Soldiers in his unit.

“This is accelerating our learning process overall and honing the specific execution of not only our usual skill sets, but also the skills we’re learning here today,” Dacey said.

While the training was designed to build on mission set and combat capabilities, it also further formed unit cohesion at the lowest level. Soldiers involved with the training said that this effort was successful.

“They’re making all the mistakes they need to make together, they’re all learning together,” Slaby said. “As a result, they’re progressing at the same rate regardless of rank or duty description, and that’s where that team cohesion is being built.”

Dacey and Brown also affirmed the success of the effort put forth in the training. Dacey said he was impressed by 3rd SFG(A)’s ability to teach at all levels to build that cohesion.

“The guys from 3rd Group will work with anybody from a (private first class) to a first lieutenant,” he said. “It makes it really easy to build those teams when the opportunity is that open to train.”

Brown said he enjoyed the opportunity that the training provided to bring his unit together in a unique environment.

“It’s nice to train with our fire support teams again after a deployment,” he said. “We were somewhat scattered just doing the post-deployment necessities, but this training lets us come together and forge those bonds more in a combat environment.”

Training like this not only benefits 10th Mountain Division Soldiers, but it also helps grow the skills of the Soldiers from 3rd SFG(A).

“This is phenomenal training for us as well, and we always seek out the opportunity to do training like this,” Slaby said. “What Special Forces primarily does on deployment is work with a partner force, so this is also a great training for us as we get to teach another force how to execute these tasks.”