Warrant Officers play war games

By Sgt. Monica K. Smith, 3rd CAB Public AffairsJune 3, 2011

usa image
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga. - Warrant Officers attending the Aviation Warrant Officer Advance

Course had the opportunity to test their training during an exercise, May 25, at Evans Army Airfield.

The warrant officers, together with enlisted, participated in war games which required the Soldiers to break into teams and work together to accomplish an objective.

“There were two fights, one centered on a high value target, and the other was focused on the

destruction of a terrorist training camp,” said Chief Warrant Officer Anthony Poland, the AWOAC

mobile training team lead from Company A, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment, from Ft. Rucker. “After a week of instruction in the military decision-making process, we conducted this ‘chief warrior’ exercise to further ensure they understand the decision-making process.”

The warrant officers were divided into three teams, one team became the tactical operations center, the other were computer controllers who controlled digital aircraft and personnel, and the last acted as operational forces.

“In the (Tactical Operation Center) I was looking for their reactions to crisis situations and how

they incorporate what they learned from pervious instructions,” said Chief Warrant Officer Poland. “For the computer controllers I was looking for how they implement battlefield actions, their ability to pass information to the TOC and their ability to aid the TOC with mission

changes. For the OPFOR (Opposing Forces), they tried to destroy plans as best they could and I saw how they interrupted the military decision-making process and created the ‘fog of war.’”

Enlisted Soldiers supplemented the warrant officers in providing staff to test out their decisions. As the warrant officers made decisions, they were able to give those decisions to enlisted Soldiers to carry out.

“I think the exercise met the intent of our course,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jerry Dickerson, a

Black Hawk pilot with Company C, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade. “It exposed us to higher decision-making processes and gave us an opportunity

to see outside of our own little piece of the war. It taught me to be more tactically patient with

decisions that are made at higher levels. Sometimes we think we have the right picture from where we see the battle, but they have a better picture.”

The two-day exercise was part of the 58-day course designed to give warrant officers professional development and prepare them for what is required of them as they move into senior warrant officer roles. The 49 students who attended the course participated in classroom

instruction, student presentations and class trips to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum and Fort Pulaski, in addition to the exercise.

The AWOAC class graduates tomorrow at the Hunter Club.