Photo By Lorne Neff | Maj. Gen. David C. Wood is interviewed by role playing media during Warfighter...... read more read more
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CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - The 38th Infantry Division concluded its nine-day warfighter exercise at Camp Atterbury. The exercise tested the division’s ability to coordinate a simulated battle with nine brigades and more than 3,000 personnel, including personnel from active-duty Army and Air Force units, National Guard units and the 2 Canadian Mechanized Combat Brigade.
“You can go to classes, you can talk about it and go to seminars, you can do all sorts of training, but until you get the whole piece together, have a day and night shift, all the different working groups and cells interacting, you don’t get the training effect you need to have for real-world requirements,” said Maj. Gen. David C. Wood, 38th Infantry Division commander.
The division fought a simulated battle in the notional county of Atropia, fighting to expel an invading army from the notional country of Ariana.
“We don’t have divisions, so to be a part of this and see the operations is an incredible opportunity for the Canadians, and just the interoperability of coordinating at that higher level is amazing,” said Maj. Rowena Williams, Royal Canadian Dragoons, who was a liaison between her brigade and the division.
Many of the participants agreed that coordination was the key as they worked in tents in a field next to Atterbury’s Joint Training, Simulations and Exercise Center.
“This operation allowed me to better understand how to set up my staff operationally,” said Lt. Col. Bruce Millen, 38th Infantry Division sustainment chief. “There were a lot of problems we encountered as we went along, that’s part of the exercise, and we were able to overcome them.”
The exercise included soldiers from around the U.S. and Canada, who’s brigade headquarters came down from Petawawa, Ontario. The exercise also included airmen from Hawaii who sat in the operations section of the 38th Infantry Division tent.
“We were able to integrate with their operations to clear a space for fires missions, and bring in much needed close-air support where it was needed, when it was needed,” said Maj. Victor Carrillo, airspace manager with the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Exercise participants arrived in late January and the simulation began Feb. 3. It included a team from the Army’s Mission Command Training Program from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. They were sent to observe and evaluate the training. It also included civilian contractors as role players.
“The 38th grew overtime,” said David Yatto, a Northrop Grumman contractor who played the part of an Atropian colonel. “When the two army’s shed blood together, then you become a trusted member. “
Yatto said that was part of the training scenario, learning to trust foreign commanders, which wasn’t always the case in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I went from outside the tent to being inside the tent as a trusted member,” said Yatto. “And of course there is more to it than just drinking coffee, its sharing information and fighting side-by-side, and the 38th was able to do that.”
“We have a great team, great soldiers, we have a great plan and we have great support, so I’m a very lucky guy,” said Wood to a group of distinguished visitors who visited near the end of the exercise.
The Cyclone Division participated in the last warfighter exercise held at Camp Atterbury in 1989.
The 38th Infantry Division, headquartered in Indianapolis, is the Indiana National Guard’s largest unit with more than 9,200 soldiers, four brigades and nearly 100 subordinate units throughout the Hoosier State. The 38th, nicknamed the Cyclone Division, also has units headquartered in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. The Cyclone Division is one of eight National Guard and one of 18 U.S. Army divisions.
| Date Taken: | 02.13.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.13.2015 16:59 |
| Story ID: | 154507 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 770 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Cyclone Division storms enemy in warfighter, by Lorne Neff, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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