‘Devils’ host Kuwait staff college visit at Camp Buehring

Photo By Bernhard Lashleyleidner | Maj. Kelvin Robinson, plans officer in charge, HHC, 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., briefs students and staff members from the Mubarak Al Abdullah Joint Command and Staff College on the brigade's current operations map Nov. 6 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. The purpose of the visit was to introduce the students to the interworking of an ABCT and how commanders recognizes and exercise authority and direction over assigned and attached forces.  

CAMP BUEHRING, KUWAIT

12.08.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Bernhard Lashleyleidner 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – Soldiers with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division hosted 108 students from the Mubarak Al Abdullah Joint Command and Staff College Nov. 6 at Camp Buehring.

Students from 15 partner nations attended the one-day partnership event.

The purpose of the visit was to introduce the students to the interworking of an armored brigade combat team and how its Soldiers and leaders effectively use command and control at the headquarters level.

It was also designed to introduce the students to real-world scenarios and improve their leadership abilities. Lt. Col. Christopher Hall, directing staff, MAJCSC, said the students were in the land phase of study at the command and staff course and leaders wanted them to see command and control being performed in a field environment.

Students were given a real world scenario and attended a variety of briefings provided by the brigade staff. Each brigade staff section provided representatives who discussed how they supported the brigade’s mission across the battlefield and what roles they played during the simulated exercise.

“This visit was a perfect opportunity for our students to see a U.S. brigade combat team execute command and control in the field,” Hall said. In addition to the Kuwaiti students, he said, the course was also attended by about 40 foreign military students from outside Kuwait, many of whom never experienced working with deployed Soldiers from a partner nation.

Students were also introduced to the practical application and combat planning used by coalition land forces.

“The land phase component is critical, and this visit was very beneficial for our students to see how things really
work in the field,” Hall said.

Lt. Col Tamer Elgharib, an Egyptian student, said the visit was a great opportunity to see Soldiers and leaders of a brigade headquarters coordinate and execute western tactics.

“We need to do more joint training like this in order to standardize our procedures with our partners,” said Kuwaiti
Lt. Col. Thafer Rashid Alajni. “Wars are no longer fought alone. We now fight side by side with our coalition partners.”

Alajni said it was great getting out of the classroom and experiencing command and control being practiced in the
real world.

“This was a very significant event for the Kuwaiti Staff College and the brigade,” said Maj. Jerod Madden, partnership officer in charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st ABCT. “This is only the second time that MAJCSC has partnered with a U.S. brigade combat team during one of their culminating events.”

Madden said the visit would establish an enduring partnership between the operational support services brigade combat team and MAJSCS.

Hall said officials realized two years ago there was an opportunity to visit a U.S. brigade combat team in Kuwait, and this event was the result of that push to add practical application to one of the college’s culminating events.

“I would like to thank the 1st ABCT for this unique opportunity,” Hall said. “We plan on adding future visits like these with deployed units during the land phase of our training.”

• Date Taken: 12.08.2014
• Date Posted: 12.11.2014 01:02
• Story ID: 150028
• Location: CAMP BUEHRING, KW
• Hometown: BESSEMER, AL, US