Photo By Master Sgt. Michael Green | Soldiers from the 35th Infantry Division served as a Higher Command in a tactical...... read more read more
FORT POLK, La. – For many, June typically signifies the start of leisurely summer vacations. Yet, for a number of soldiers with the 35th Infantry Division, headquartered in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, June was a month to celebrate extensive training milestones that strengthened the division.
Soldiers from the 35th Infantry Division recently served as a Higher Command in a tactical training environment at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The training allowed the 35th Division to play a key role in the exercise as a Division Tactical Command Post and provide realistic training by exercising mission command over live maneuver units in a force-on-force environment.
“The 35th Infantry Division is leading the way in being the first divisional headquarters to serve in the role as a Higher Command for a Joint Readiness Training Center, Brigade Combat Team rotation since 9/11,” said Col. William Ward, assistant division commander and officer in charge of the 35th Infantry Division during the exercise.
Over the past 13 years, joint efforts and training exercises such as this have brought the National Guard and active duty component counterpart’s closer together. This Higher Command training simulation served as a natural continuation of those relations and a testament to the operational capability of the National Guard.
The Joint Readiness Training Center, or JRTC, at Fort Polk provided the infrastructure for the multi-tiered full spectrum training.
“The Joint Readiness Training Center gives the soldiers of the 35th Infantry Division a training experience as close to a deployed environment as possible in the continental United States,” said Col. Russell Richardson, the division operations officer.
The training exercise, which spanned a four-week period, proved to be a challenging experience. An advance team of soldiers arrived a week prior to the exercise to ensure logistics and mission command systems and technologies were in place and functional before the arrival of the main body of participants.
“Soldiers were quickly able to coordinate with their counterparts in the main operation upon arrival, due to the fantastic job the advance team did in laying the groundwork for success,” explained Ward.
Over the course of 10 days, the exercise maintained an intense 24-hour operational tempo, where soldiers were continually faced with simulated battlefield engagements spanning a full-spectrum operation. The soldiers of the 35th were responsible for coordinating and collaborating with both the Division Main, a role assumed by the JRTC Joint Operations Center, and with subordinate units. These organizations rarely get an opportunity to work collectively in a shared exercise environment, which sometimes leads to unexpected challenges within the training environment.
“The soldiers of the 35th responded with determination and resilience to systematically work through each challenge,” observed Ward. “The bottom line is that there was a mission to accomplish and the Santa Fe Division got it done.”
The 35th Infantry Division’s insignia symbolizes the frontier spirit of those that led the western expansion of our great nation.
“To be the first National Guard Division to serve as a higher command element at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk since 9/11 exemplifies that same spirit," said Ward. "Hopefully, this will become the model that will serve as a fantastic training tool for divisions, as well as foster some future division to brigade combat team relationships.”
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2014 10:13 |
| Story ID: | 135494 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LA, US |
| Web Views: | 695 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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