Operation Toy Drop XIX Command Post Operations

Photo By Spc. Dustin Smith | FORT BRAGG, North Carolina-- Sgt. Maj. Carolyn L. Sherratt briefs the Tactical Operations Center at Mackall Army Air Field on operation updates, Dec 12. The TOC is the head of mission control for Operation Toy Drop XIX.  

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

12.12.2016

Story by Capt. Jevon Thomas 

319th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORT BRAGG, N.C. --- During Operation Toy Drop XIX, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command [Airborne] conducted command post operations in order to train on their mission essential tasks.
For the first time, since the beginning of this yearly event, an operational command post has been established for OTD in an attempt to document the training value and capture the readiness gained by USACAPOC [A] conducting the operation. The training was conducted in support of real-world airborne operations in order to truly reflect their wartime mission.
“It exercises our Soldiers by giving them the opportunity to practice these tasks in an operational command that they otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to train in,” Sgt. Maj. Carolyn L. Sherratt, HHC, USACAPOC [A]. “The unit gained more from this particular operation than in previous years because we are exercising the sections the way they would be operational.”
OTD entails a myriad of different moving parts, and the role of the command post is to coordinate these moving parts in order to ensure the successful implementation of the operation. They track each flight’s personnel, type of aircraft, equipment, and flight times as they are conducted to and from the drop zone, as well as establish communications.
The Joint Communication Support Element contributed greatly to the operation by maintaining real-time communications for the entire event, with Soldiers performing tasks they may not normally have the opportunity.
“The ability for us to integrate with USACAPOC [A] and be able to see how they operate, what their experiences are in the field and then how we can contribute to that mission, as well as how we operate in the field,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Lane, a native of Winter Haven, Fla., “is good for both the Soldiers and the leadership.”
A key focus has been integrating the United States Army Reserve Command, Army National Guard, Active Duty Air Force, as well as the Air National Guard into the operation so that all could exercise their essential tasks that they would execute during wartime, says Msg. Kevin Williams, TAC Noncommissioned Officer in Charge.
Integrating the different branches allowed for a broader hand off of knowledge from senior NCOs and officers to junior leadership.
“One of the takeaways from this exercise is how, especially for junior NCOs and junior officers who don’t understand how an operation is run or may not have had the chance to see it, they get to experience it first-hand,” said Sherratt. “It supports the professional growth of not only the individual, but also the organization.
“It’s important that units understand how to adapt given different circumstances, which is what you see now with OTD,” she continued. “We are training to be an operational command post and now our Soldiers that are here will have some knowledge on what it takes.”
While supporting Operation Toy Drop, command post operations simultaneously provided Soldiers with real-world experience, which is essential to the growth and development of junior leaders. This opportunity allowed for Soldiers in various branches to train on necessary skills that they would not otherwise have the opportunity to train on.
“Training is the main thing,” said Sgt. Curtis C. Chambers, 459th Transportation Company. “It gives us lots of training in our jobs. A lot of Soldiers out here don’t even get a chance to do their jobs after Advance Individual Training. So this is a chance for them to do their jobs if they need to get deployed.”

• Date Taken: 12.12.2016
• Date Posted: 12.13.2016 10:42
• Story ID: 217501
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US
• Hometown: ELWOOD, IL, US
• Hometown: HOLLISTER, CA, US
• Hometown: WINTER HAVEN, FL, US