Photo By Maj. Ramah Knox | Spc. Dawson Cox, a signal specialist from Charlie Company 224th, 2/ 34th Infantry...... read more read more
Gathering at the Iowa National Guard Readiness Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Nov. 3, the Signal teams across the 2nd / 34th Infantry Division Brigade Combat Team (2/34th IBCT) assembled for the Brigade (BDE) three-day long Network Exercise (NETEX)
The group of 25 Series experts come together from 7 different battalions (BN) across the brigade in both Iowa and Minnesota to train together. The NETEX tests the communication equipment in the Brigade bringing each battalion’s Command Post Node (CPN) in one place to connect to brigade’s Joint Network Node (JNN) using the Satellite Terminal Trailer (STT) each battalion has. These nodes and equipment form a secure tactical network that can access the Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN) and operate anywhere in the world.
Chief Warrant Officer Ryan Donkersloot, the NetOps Manager from HHC 2/34th IBCT, Iowa Army National Guard, shared, “The NETEX provides validation of the Satellite communications and CPN’s and the server system together. It allows time to trouble shoot issues and making sure it works and is ready for any event or training, like the upcoming Exportable Combat Training Center (xCTC) and Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) giving command and control from a distance.”
The NETEX is done yearly and has become part of four separate touchpoints that signal branch Soldiers use implement their craft. This cross training is priceless and allows for subject matter experts to mentor Soldiers new to the field. Since this skill expires without use it ensures Soldiers are up to date on requirements both civilian and military.
Maj. David Bohnstengel, Brigade Signal Staff Officer (S6) shared, “The three-day long exercise validates all major network assemblages. It is comparable to MediaComm or Century Link where they are the wide area network provider, what we call the “WAN”. During this exercise we create the pathways for mission command and the other warfighting functions to communicate over. We do this by hosting all available Mission Command Information Systems (MCIS) at the Brigade level. Charlie (Signal) Company of the 224 Brigade Engineer Battalion supports this by providing the network which Battalions connect to form the secure tactical network.”
Maj. Bohnstengel, added, “When we do a Command Post and Communication Exercises (CPXs/COMMEXs) later in each training year, all BDE and BN leadership use our network and services to form a Common Operating Picture (COP) to command and control their units. This exercise NETEX is about the validating and fixing network assemblages for all 7 battalions, so they are ready for staffs to utilize at future events. The importance of what these Signal soldiers do for their units cannot be understated.”
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2023 16:18 |
| Story ID: | 457225 |
| Location: | CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, US |
| Web Views: | 275 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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