Warfighter Readies 3rd ID for Future Missions

Photo By Brian Fickel | Maj. Gen. Jim Rainey speaks to the 3rd Infantry Division staff during a map exercise as part of Warfighter 17-01 at Fort Stewart, Ga., Oct. 12, 2016. The Warfighter exercise was the culminating exercise certifying the division as trained and ready for real-world missions. (U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Brian Fickel)  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

11.01.2016

Story by Lt. Col. Brian Fickel 

3rd Infantry Division

FORT STEWART, Ga. (Nov. 1, 2016) – After nearly a year of training the 3rd Infantry Division headquarters is validated as trained and ready for any real-world mission.

The Army put the division to the test during a two-week exercise, Warfighter 17-01, which was designed to train and validate the headquarters on its ability to command and control a division during a continuous offensive operation against an enemy similar in capability to that of the US Army- a “near-peer” adversary.

“The Warfighter exercise was the capstone event of a process that began nine months ago and we fought to train at every opportunity to enter the exercise at a higher level of proficiency,” said Lt. Col. Scott Sentell, 3rd ID Director of Plans. “The warfighter gave the division and its enabling brigades an opportunity to sharpen our skills in a decisive action environment focused on offensive operations. We concentrated on being expeditionary, and executed the training to build readiness at every echelon.”

The exercise centered on a familiar scenario for many Soldiers, an intense offensive operation against a near-peer enemy from the fictitious country of Ariana. The aggressor country invaded the equally fictitious partner nation of Atropia and the 3rd ID was deployed to combat Ariana.

"Warfighter Exercise 17-01 was an incredible training opportunity that tested our ability to coordinate and synchronize staff actions in a contested environment against a thinking enemy,” said Maj. Robert Parsons, 3rd ID Current Operations Officer. “The greatest benefit gained from the operations center perspective was the ability to see our strengths and weaknesses throughout all of our systems, while also providing us the time to develop new solutions and test them against the enemy in a world class simulation."

The focus of this Warfighter was high-intensity conflict against a similar force, not counterinsurgency, which has dominated tactical training over the last decade. The 3rd ID has emphasized being ready to deploy, fight and win, as well as mastering fundamentals and understanding complexity. Warfighter 17-01 tested the division these areas.

Now that Warfighter Exercise 17-01 is over and Atropia is once again a free (but still fictitious country), the 3rd ID is certified as trained and ready for any real-world scenario.

“I have no doubt the division HQ could fight and win tonight if needed,” said Sentell.

• Date Taken: 11.01.2016
• Date Posted: 11.02.2016 10:10
• Story ID: 213593
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US
• Hometown: FORT STEWART, GA, US