FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Thousands of 10th Mountain Division (LI) Soldiers this week are marking the conclusion of Mountain Peak -- one of the largest two-week field training exercises ever conducted at Fort Drum.
Elements of the division's brigades were involved throughout the training exercise. The Division Tactical (DTAC) command post located at Training Area 16A provided command and control.
"The DTAC will continue this role in the upcoming National Training Center rotations at Fort Irwin, Calif., for 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams this fall," said Maj. Valent P. Bernat, G3 chief of training and DTAC officer in charge.
"Mountain Peak has given us the opportunity to exercise mission command and our other warfighting functions, while enhancing the training for the brigades," Bernat added. "Most division-level training exercises are simulated, so you absolutely have to take advantage of the opportunity to train with live units maneuvering in the field.
"It's as close to real combat operations as you're going to get."
The last two weeks were filled with numerous training opportunities for the division and its brigades.
"We have conducted more than 58 platoon live-fire ranges and 42 convoy live-fires," Bernat said. "The DTAC performed mission command and provided higher control to battalion- and brigade-level mission command environment."
During the exercise, 1st BCT Soldiers trained for their mission as Security Force Advise and Assist Teams and completed selected home station pre-deployment training, including situational training exercise and convoy live-fire exercises.
Soldiers of 2nd BCT executed the organization inspection program, performing platoon- and company-level STX / LFX, a battalion force-on-force exercise, as well as air-assault planning and execution.
In addition, 3rd BCT acted as the operations group headquarters and provided range officers and range safety officers, opposing force, role-players, and logistical and administrative support to operations.
The 10th Combat Aviation Brigade provided close-combat attack, aerial reconnaissance and lift capabilities.
The 10th Sustainment Brigade provided explosive ordnance disposal for training and conducted a military police certification exercise.
Col. (P) Richard D. Clarke, division deputy commanding general - operations, said more than 10,000 Soldiers and airmen -- from as far away as Michigan -- participated in the training.
"We have been planning this exercise since January," Clarke said. "We have a lot of new leaders, and we wanted to train all of our Soldiers to the best of our abilities."
Clarke added that this is the first time in more than a decade that all three combat brigades are together at Fort Drum, so it was a challenge to track and integrate all operations of this magnitude during the field training exercise.
"We wanted it to be an unfair and unbalanced battlefield by training our troops," he said. "Mountain Peak provided us that opportunity."
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