FORT BENNING, Ga. — In World War I emerging technology — like the machine gun, wireless radios and tanks — changed battlefields forever and led to continued innovation during the Interwar Period from 1918 to 1939, according to the National World War I Museum. More than a century later in today’s interwar period, the U.S. Army is similarly driving change to rapidly adapt through its Transformation in Contact 2.0, or TiC, initiative.
Leaders from across armored divisions gathered at the Maneuver Warfighter Conference, hosted by the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, from Sept. 9 to 11, to inform and discuss how the TiC initiative is enabling armored formations to be more lethal and prepared for the next fight, at speed and scale.
“I think we’re trying to get a broad overview of what transformation in contact means,” said Col. Todd R. Hertling, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, commander.
“Not only to our brigade ... but more broadly speaking, what transformation could mean for the Army ... spearheading change,” Hertling said.
Hertling said change is a necessary transition in today’s operating environment to prevent the enemy from gaining overmatch on the Army and armored brigade combat teams.
VIEW ORIGINAL
The Army has identified multiple Armored Brigade Combat Teams as TiC ABCTs, including 1st ABCT, to lead experimental and organizational changes where armored brigades will be fielded with materiel capabilities at their home station and for upcoming National Training Center rotations.
Speaking to junior leaders from across the Army during a conference breakout session, Hertling shared how the Ironhorse Brigade’s approach to warfighting is adapting to meet the demands of future battlefields.
“The fully transparent battlefield has obstacles and effects we must overcome to close with and destroy [the enemy],” said Hertling. “The goal is to avoid positional warfare and instead do everything to get to tactical maneuver with an all-arms, wave-based approach. [Meaning] employing sequential and simultaneous effects to present the enemy with multiple elements.”
In the breakout session Hertling also addressed how TiC can identify some trouble areas with the enemy and how the armored brigade combat team’s technological assets are designed to close those gaps and improve their capabilities.
“It’s going to be a question of how we’re balancing the imperative to master the fundamentals, which is a question for the Army that’s as old as time, while still integrating some of the new technologies and materiel solutions that may come to bear in the coming years,” Hertling said.
Focusing on fundamentals, the brigade is also ensuring they are guiding change from a solid foundation, rooted in mastering the basics. For as much as they’re seeing a technologically high rate of change, what’s old is new again when it comes to basic field craft and protecting the brigade.
“Properly balancing mastery of our craft with unique innovative and new materiel solutions will be a bit of a balancing act and will challenge us on both ends, I believe. And it’s nothing that we can’t accomplish,” said Hertling.
“We’re excited about being able to have a small piece of leading change for the Army, and I think we’re going to have a lot of lessons learned in the coming years. This is something that’s going to have a lot of generational impact for the Soldiers and Families we lead.”
Social Sharing