Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes | A U.S. Soldier hands simulated explosives to a Ukrainian soldier to use during...... read more read more
YAVORIV, Ukraine – At most U.S. combat training centers Observer Controller Trainers are as much of the landscape as the trees, they simply come with the territory.
However, for Ukrainian soldiers at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center working with these seasoned trainers is a new experience. By the end of their time training together, whether it is for a two-week exercise like Rapid Trident 16 or a 3-month rotation with the Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine, both the U.S. and Ukraine Soldiers leave with a better understanding of each other.
“They’re just like us, just wearing a different uniform, fighting for their country,” said 1st Lt. Martin Mudd, a Sapper Platoon Leader for 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He has been in charge of an OCT team in the Ukraine for the past six months.
This group of OCTs with the 3-15th is here for a 6-month rotation in support of JMTG-U. Their mission is to shadow the unit’s training and evaluate their performance. They do this by highlighting their successes and explaining how to improve their shortcomings in After Action Reviews.
“They are very professional, and they explained everything so that it is very easy for us and it’s very understandable,” said Ukrainian Squad Leader Ihor Andryucha, who has been training with the 3-15th OCTs for the last two months.
Andryucha added that at first when they began their rotation they thought that the training was simple and they knew it all. But they realized later when they moved from individual and squad tactics to battalion level that the OCTs were going step by step by step through the training, which he said was very helpful.
Improving the Ukrainian soldiers’ combat skills was the OCTs main focus, however they had a second initiative; to empower the NCOs. This was a goal not just for their Ukrainian counterparts, but also for their own junior NCOs.
“Our junior NCOs have really been leading the way, and empowering them to get up in front of foreign soldiers and teach has really built up their confidence,” said Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Bastanzi, a Platoon Leader with the 3-15th training team. “Some of the (Ukrainian) units have been very receptive to the way we empower our junior leaders, and we’ve seen them step up and do the same thing.”
Another technique they put to use was the competitive nature of the Soldiers. Bastanzi explained that the Ukrainian soldiers would want to know who did the best at the end of each day’s training, so they used this to help intensify the training.
“It’s a short term reward right then and there. They get bragging rights for that day, and then the next day somebody else gets a shot,” said Bastanzi.
In addition to the 3rd ID trainers that are working directly with the Soldiers one-on-one there are also other U.S. OCTs that are working at the next level to “train the trainer.” This means that instead of working directly with the Ukrainian soldiers or leadership, they are working with the Ukrainian OCTs to help them become better trainers.
But no matter what level they are training at the goal of improving tactics and relationships among the nations does not change.
“We’ve built a bond with the platoons we are training with and alongside, and hearing them say ‘I’ll never forget what you taught me,’ gives a sense of pride,” said Bastanzi. Andryucha echoed this sentiment saying that when they are replaced in a few days with the next rotation, “It will leave a gap that cannot be filled.”
| Date Taken: | 07.05.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.05.2016 08:06 |
| Story ID: | 203100 |
| Location: | UA |
| Web Views: | 115 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Building strong bonds in Ukraine, by SFC Whitney Hughes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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