Decisive Action Training Environment improves readiness

Photo By Sgt. William Gore | Pfc. James Kester (left) improves his fighting position, as Pfc. Angel Fuentes (right) pulls security, both paratroopers are with Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery, at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., Sept. 19. Combat Training Centers create realistic scenarios and provide leaders a comprehensive approach to training in a joint interagency, intergovernmental and multinational environment. This decisive action training environment generates unit readiness and enhances leaders’ ability to operate in complex environments. (Sgt. William Gore, 40th PAD)  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

09.29.2014

Story by Sgt. William Gore 

40th Public Affairs Detachment

FORT POLK, La.- Army, National Guard and Air Force service members attended a Decisive Action Training Environment (DATE) rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in Fort Polk, Louisiana, during the month of September.

DATE training allows Brigade Combat Teams to synchronize capabilities, weapons systems and effects in time and space in order to accomplish the mission across a full spectrum of operations.

“Decisive action training environment training is important for all soldiers and civilians that support these organizations,” said retired Command Sgt. Maj. Franklin Ashe, now a technical adviser for Training and Doctrine (TRADOC) Command Brigade Combat Teams.

In the past, JRTC and other Combat Training Centers (CTC) have held Mission Readiness Exercises (MRE) for units that are getting ready to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan, and now the focus has shifted to a more worldwide decisive action approach.

“The leadership in these environments is very challenging because of all the friction from the weather, the terrain, the enemy activity, getting your mission command radio and computers up and running so you can communicate with your subordinate elements so you can get them where they need,” said Ashe.

DATE training generates unit readiness and enhances agile leaders who are confident in their ability to operate in complex environments.

“It’s important to have that training because you never know what’s coming,” said Spc. Andrew Hewett with Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment “We could be called at any moment to any location with little preparation, so this is important because if we get the call to go then we’ll know what to do.”

CTC’s provide the opportunity for rotational units to experience all aspects of worldwide operations.

“The systems are in place to control the brigade, all the civilians, villages and wildlife. It’s almost impossible to replicate this type of training mission at home station,” Ashe said.

Getting away from a home station field training exercise not only gives a different environment, it gives Soldiers new training opportunities they don’t normally see.

“We get a lot of good training on packing up our equipment, having to inventory and move our equipment. When we get here, we have to make do with what we have, instead of just having it all right there for us,” said Hewett.

This type of training is also incorporating different national and international government and nongovernment agencies.

“We don’t want to lose our expertise and knowledge that we gained working with outside agencies,” said Ashe. “CTCs have the ability to replicate the different agencies, so the leaders in the military can continue to understand how to communicate with them and effectively conduct their operations, or allow the agencies to conduct their operations.”

The CTC Decisive Action Training Environment rotation that is occurring at JRTC is ensuring the continued worldwide mission readiness of the Army, and other services.

• Date Taken: 09.29.2014
• Date Posted: 10.01.2014 20:51
• Story ID: 143973
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US