Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

(e.g. yourname@email.com)

Forgot Password?

    Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Logo

    Texas division hosts Warfighter review

    Texas division hosts warfighter review

    Photo By Master Sgt. Daniel Griego | Maj. Gen. Lester Simpson, commanding general of Texas National Guard's 36th Infantry...... read more read more

    AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES

    12.09.2015

    Story by Master Sgt. Daniel Griego 

    36th Infantry Division (TXARNG)

    AUSTIN, Texas - Recently, the Texas National Guard's 36th Infantry Division welcomed representatives from the National Guard Bureau and the seven other Guard divisions to Austin, Texas, for a Warfighter After Action Review to discuss resourcing, scheduling, and training requirements in order to develop long-term plans to better integrate Guard assets and active duty assets during major training events.

    The National Guard faces unique challenges in maintaining the same readiness and combat capability of its active duty counterparts. Even stateside, the Guard’s standards must equal those organizations with daily training opportunities. Senior Guard leaders assembled in Austin, Texas, Dec. 9 to discuss and develop a new plan to engage one key mission within the Army’s training arsenal: The Warfighter exercise.

    "Warfighter is a simulation exercise that allows units of various echelons, from corps to division to brigade, to integrate command systems and execute large-scale missions and operations," said Lt. Col. Gary Beaty, Warfighter chief of operations and commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division.

    Texas’ 36th Infantry Division is the most recent Army National Guard division to conduct a Warfighter, having completed its evaluation May 29 through June 12, 2015, at Fort Hood, Texas. From this experience, division officers drew a wealth of lessons learned to share with the other seven Guard divisions throughout the country, especially in the areas of resource management and scheduling preliminary training.

    “We looked at the Warfighter as a multi-year process,” said Lt. Col. Jason Hart of the 36th ID. “Starting with training and equipping soldiers, putting them in the right positions, making sure they understand the systems, then executing the Warfighter.”

    The division’s commanding general, Maj. Gen. Lester Simpson, invited the commanders and representatives of all eight Army National Guard divisions, as well as the National Guard Bureau, to Texas for the summit, which included an after action review and division commander advisory council.

    “It’s really geared toward NGB to understand that you can’t resource a Warfighter in the year of the Warfighter because all of the training has to happen two and three years prior,” said Hart. “So they have to resource additional schools, funding slots, things of that nature.”

    Traditional Guardsmen train one weekend a month and two to four weeks a year. This limitation was a focal point of the gathering as attendees refined their long-term plans necessary for National Guard elements to succeed in a Warfighter. Such planning integrates all levels of leadership, from the commanding generals to squad leaders with specialized training requirements.

    “If we’re going to be a combat reserve that the Army can count on,” said Lt. Gen. Timothy J. Kadavy, the Army National Guard director, “we need to make sure that we maximize our resources and that we are doing the things required to ensure that our commanders, staffs and soldiers have what they need at the right time and the right place to ensure success at these very important training events.”

    The day’s review and council provided top-down guidance for future Warfighters, during which National Guard outfits will serve alongside their regular Army counterparts, just as they would in overseas combat. To meet this intent, the Guard divisions must continue to demonstrate their capabilities as comparable to the active duty.

    “A robust division headquarters battle rhythm enables training across the full spectrum of Warfighting functions to help shape, synchronize, and resource the fight for the brigades,” said Simpson.

    The visiting divisions embraced this message of synchronization and take home with them the lessons from the Texas Division’s successful Warfighter exercise.

    “It’s always good to get everybody together and talk face to face,” said Brig. Gen. Mark Malanka, the assistant deputy commander for California’s 40th Infantry Division. “We’re taking back the preparations that 36th put together and the funding models that they developed that we need to be successful.”

    Those models will enhance the National Guard’s posture going forward and set up their subordinate brigades, whether Guard or active duty, for success with a common standard of communication and preparation.

    “Communication is so important in creating and understanding and building a cohesive team,” said Simpson. “The more you communicate, the better your subordinates understand your intent.”

    LEAVE A COMMENT

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 12.09.2015
    Date Posted: 12.09.2015 19:57
    Story ID: 184059
    Location: AUSTIN, TX, US

    Web Views: 126
    Downloads: 2

    PUBLIC DOMAIN