Civil Affairs Soldiers participate in realistic civil military operations training [Image 1 of 6]

VA, UNITED STATES

03.19.2011

Photo by Staff Sgt. Sharilyn Wells 

U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne)

Spc. Ryan Shifflett, Company A, 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), second from left, talks with role-players in order to assess an area that will be used to put displaced civilians during a training exercise, March 19. The team's mission was to inform two civilians that they would be taking over the land and how they could help each other out during the period time of useage. Talking with the role-players came naturally to Shifflett who works as a police officer in Washington D.C. and interacts with people daily. Soldiers from 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), from Riverdale, Md., participated in a three-day battle assembly that focused on civil military operations, March 18 through 20, at Fort Picket, Va. The soldiers were emerged in real-life scenarios that made them engage with foreign local populace, foreign law enforcement, and foreign officials. They were sent out to make local assessments of land to be used for displaced civilians, as well as checking out a local lumber yard for any information they could gather on the importance of the mill. The mission was to be kicked off with a mass, tactical night jump, but was quickly reworked when the aircraft was downed due to mechanical issues.

• Date Taken: 03.19.2011
• Date Posted: 04.02.2011 13:18
• Photo ID: 385284
• VIRIN: 110319-O-9999W-187
• Resolution: 4589x3278
• Size: 2.12 MB
• Location: VA, US