FORT SILL, Okla. " The function of the American Soldier is to fight and win America's wars. It is an exceedingly complex and dangerous job, and Soldiers must vigilantly train themselves to the task.
The members of the 168th Brigade Support Battalion, the main logistical support element of the 214th Fires Brigade, have been busy doing exactly that, said 1st Lt. Stephen Beaty, the strength management officer for 168th BSB.
The last week of July saw the Make it Happen battalion simulating convoy live-fire operations, calls for artillery fire, IED attacks, and combat medical evacuation procedures. It was assisted in this effort by Detachment 1, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 149th General Support Aviation Battalion, an Army National Guard unit out of Lexington, Okla.
When planning the exercise, leadership within the BSB pushed for a more comprehensive approach to combat-oriented training, which eventually developed into a joint event with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, said Lt. Col. Dave Waddell, the 168th BSB commander.
Consequentially, efforts were made to streamline operations and to maximize efficiency, said Beaty, with a pre-training curriculum that included vehicle roll-over training, electronically-simulated vehicle patrols, and call-for-fire familiarization.
“This has been as real as we can [make it], from the equipment to the procedures. For many of these Soldiers it is a new experience,” said Capt. Joseph A. Turner, the operations officer for the battalion.
With the addition of mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, or MRAPs, Soldiers had a chance to practice realistic combat scenarios with the type of equipment now being used in theater, he said.
This familiarization, while in a controlled environment, is something Turner believes to be the most valuable aspect of the entire experience.
“They are getting to work on their communication and targeting skills right now, and [that is] not something you want to have to learn in combat,” he said.
Nearly every occupational specialty within the unit had tasks planned into each event, said Waddell, in an effort to replicate common situations during actual deployments.
“We lengthened the duration of the convoys to simulate the conditions of combat missions. We then focused on completing our gunnery tables and executing MEDEVACs as part of those convoys,” he said.
The main purpose of which, however, was to provide practical knowledge as to how the organization functions, and how every action can have a ripple effect on the mission, added Waddell.
“From these [scenarios], our Soldiers got to see the third and fourth order of effects and learn how to manage them in a tactical environment,” he said.
While the Soldiers of 168th BSB may have benefited by cooperating with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, the exercise served as a unique opportunity for the Guardsmen, as well, said Staff Sgt. Richard Pindel, a flight medic with 149th GSAB.
“Any time we can [become] involved in other units' training, it's all to the better,” he said. “[It is] great working with Fort Sill because [it is] so close, and [we are] hoping to continue with this working relationship.”
Already planning future joint-training events, Waddell agrees.
“Preparation here equals readiness down-range, for all of us,” he said. “With this training, [we are] getting the chance to work with our teammates across the battlefield, a chance we might not get otherwise.”
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