Training in austere environments

Photo By Spc. Scott Lindblom | Soldiers start the Command Post Exercise for the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade on Hunter Army Airfield Feb. 23, 2017. The week-long exercise focused on individual Soldier skills and collective staff integration for tactical operations. (US Army photo by Spc. Scott Lindblom, 3rd CAB Public Affairs)  

HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, GA, UNITED STATES

02.27.2017

Courtesy Story

3rd Combat Aviation Brigade

The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade held a week-long command post exercise on Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia from February 21-27.

"Our readiness is the representation of our ability," said Capt. James Erkes, commander HHC, 3rd CAB.

The planning for the exercise started in December, he added. With the execution phase revolving around individual Soldier skills as well as a collective staff integration for tactical operations.

"We try to, essentially, model training after real world expectations," Erkes said. "As best as we can, we try to simulate what we would actually, physically be doing in a deployed environment."

Whether the training is night driving or preparing digital master gunnery tables, the focus is similar to when the unit is in a garrison environment, he explained. It attempts to integrate the staff sections together and pushes leaders to share knowledge across all functional areas. The ability to quickly, easily overcome adversity in a garrison environment has a higher probability than in an austere environment.

"You have to have more courses of actions available," said Erkes. "Now you are consciously preparing and mitigating a little more circumstances than you would."

Moreover, the primary task of HHC is to ensure the individual Soldier training of every Soldier regardless of their military occupation, he added. This produces a confident, competent Soldier with a Soldier-first mentality, which enables the Soldier to take care of themselves and others in a deployed environment.

The training has been good, said Spc. Anastasia Schneider, a Soldier assigned to HHC, 3rd CAB. It's been wet outside but the unit was able to conduct night land navigation with night vision goggles.

"Staying out here and experiencing the elements is going to prepare me for whatever else," she added. "You train how you fight!"

• Date Taken: 02.27.2017
• Date Posted: 02.27.2017 15:20
• Story ID: 225077
• Location: HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, GA, US