Building range operations from scratch in Ukraine

Photo By Maj. Scott Kuhn | YAVORIV, Ukraine--Ukrain Army Col. Vikter Sphin, deputy commander of the International Peacekeeping and Security Center (left) speaks with U.S. Army Capt. Jason Ayres (right) and Canadian Army Master Warrant Officer Luc Desrochers (center) about the new Range Operations building here. Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine is focused on the development of the IPSC into a fully-functional combat training center by implementing, developing or improving upon capabilities such as infrastructure, equipment, cadre, doctrine and standard operating procedures. (Army photo by Capt. Scott Kuhn)  

YAVORIV, UKRAINE

07.27.2016

Story by Capt. Scott Kuhn 

U.S. Army Europe and Africa     

Note: The Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine is a Brigade Headquarters-sized unit consisting of members of the California National Guard. Its mission is to reinforce defensive skills of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in order to increase their capacity for self-defense, but that’s only one of the priorities of the training group. In addition, JMTG-U is focused on the development of a combat training center by implementing, developing or improving upon capabilities such as infrastructure, equipment, cadre, doctrine and standard operating procedures.

This is part one of a three-part series. The series focuses on the efforts and progress of JMTG-U over the past six-plus months to implement those changes in three areas: range operations, sustainment and infrastructure, and instructor development.


Most Soldiers in the United States Army probably view range operations as a necessary facet of training. They most likely understand the importance of it for deconfliction, range maintenance and safety to name a few of its functions. But what do you do when there is no Range Operations section?

This was an important question for the leadership of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine whose priority is not only to help train Ukrainian ground forces but also to develop a Combat Training Center similar to the ones at Fort Polk, Louisiana and Fort Irwin, California. For the members of the JMTG-U range operations team the answer was simple…you build one from scratch.

When he first arrived here in February, Capt. Jason Ayres, a California National Guardsman like the majority of the JMTG-U staff, was handed the responsibility of standing up range operations. As a prior enlisted infantryman, infantry officer and now a logistics officer, Ayres is no stranger to ranges and how they operate. However, he wasn’t prepared for the way things were being done at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in Yavoriv, Ukraine, where JMTG-U is located.

“In the past it was a very rudimentary system and it was basically, whoever showed up to the range with the most rank took that range if they wanted it,” said Ayres.

That was the first of many obstacles Ayres and his team encountered. Not only was there no range operation presence but there was no facility for range operations to use in order to conduct their mission. There was also some reluctance by Ukrainian military leaders of taking men who could be fighting and placing them in a facility management position.

It took a trip by senior members of the IPSC to the U.S. Army’s Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany to help them see the importance of range operations and how it could improve overall training efforts. During the trip many of the leaders were able to experience the inner workings of range operations. They were shown how ranges were run, planned and resourced as well as how units were able to work together to maximize training efforts.

Following that trip “the General Staff (of Ukraine) signed off on an order giving structure to range operations,” Ayres said. “So, now we are going to have 34 positions that are going to be here operating and it’s going to be ran like any range facility in the U.S.”

Currently, 50 percent of the positions are filled and ready to begin operations. The next step is to have the General Staff sign off on an order to give the range operations chief the power to control all ranges within the facility. That’s where the biggest proponent of the project comes in.

Col. Vikter Shpin, deputy commander of IPSC has been a champion of this project and it’s lead planner almost since it was presented to him. Early on he convinced his leadership about the need and importance of range operations. He recently implemented a rudimentary process so commanders using the training areas can understand the need for range operations. He says that the commanders are now understanding the need and importance of range operations. For him the tipping point was the trip to Grafenwoehr, but he admits they still have a lot of work ahead to do.

“It’s a new system. Right now we continue to work with the old system but we want to provide training areas like our U.S. and Canadian partners. We want to take the best of both,” Shpin said. “I hope and I think in the future that our Army will provide this type of team and operations at other training locations in the country.”

And just like CTCs in the United States and Canada the requirement goes far beyond just functioning training areas. There is a need for infrastructure, opposition forces, equipment, instructors and observer/controllers all of which JMTG-U is working to establish.

“But you can’t have a CTC without fully functioning range operations,” said Ayres. “They (the JMTG-U leadership) saw the deficit, which was the catalyst for creating this position. That led to what you see here today with the renovation of a new facility, which is being funded fully by Ukraine.”

The new facility will house all of the range operations personnel and provide the ability to conduct planning, range safety classes and ultimately control all ranges. The building is still under construction, but according to Ayres, they will move into it by the end of July.

In addition to putting together a team, training that team and building a new home for range operations, there is also a need for development of standard operating procedures and doctrine. Master Warrant Officer Luc Desrochers of the Canadian Army is responsible for this effort, which has its own obstacles.

“I want to make sure all the ranges here meet NATO standard, but I also have to do this within all the laws and policies of the Ukrainian government,” he said.

The SOPs are nearly complete and about half of them have already been translated into Ukrainian. Desrochers said that he hopes to have them ready for review by the end of August.

The multinational team, which consists of Ayres, Desrochers and their range operations NCO, Sgt. First Class Dwayne Coleman, who is on loan from Grafenwoehr, agree that the Ukrainians are learning quickly and will be ready to assume responsibility soon.

“As of right now it is more of an advisory role that we have been doing and that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing since I got here,” said Ayres. “They’re really taking all of this information and ideas and running with it. My goal, Sgt. Coleman’s goal, is to work ourselves out of a job.”

For Shpin, all of this is a step in the right direction. “I think our work is very good. We build this building and provide this unit (range operations) to this training area. It is a great victory.”

• Date Taken: 07.27.2016
• Date Posted: 07.27.2016 03:33
• Story ID: 205170
• Location: YAVORIV, UA