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    ‘Patriot’ Soldiers prepare for future conflicts at YTC

    ‘Patriot’ Soldiers prepare for future conflicts at YTC

    Courtesy Photo | Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, move toward their objective during...... read more read more

    JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, conducted a live fire training exercise March 14-20 at Yakima Training Center, Wash., in order to help prepare themselves for future contingencies.

    The training included mounted and dismounted infantry tasks in an isolated training environment across complex terrain. It involved an enemy counterattack once a friendly platoon had consolidated and reorganized after securing an objective. Higher headquarters and reconnaissance assets would report that an armored element was moving to the platoon's location on the objective.

    Upon receiving word enemy armor was on the way, the platoon moved their dismounted and mounted assets off the objective behind defilade and deployed a Javelin Missile team with a security element to engage the armored threat from a secure position.

    “Successful training events depend on a sufficient resources,” said 1st Lt. Chaka, a platoon leader with Charger Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment. “In a resource-constrained environment, obtaining the necessary inputs to conduct realistic training is an ever-present obstacle to completing the mission.”

    According to Chaka, his ability to provide timely command and control in an otherwise chaotic combat environment is what determines his value to the team.

    “The training our battalion executed at YTC stressed my ability to coordinate multiple echelons of both direct and indirect fires, safely maneuver my Soldiers across the battlefield and provide situational updates to higher headquarters. That ultimately shapes operational and strategic decision-making that directly impact the welfare of my individual Soldiers,” he added.

    The training mimics austere conditions their unit may encounter in a potential overseas deployment, according to Chaka. YTC provided a dynamic and challenging environment that stressed their battalion’s operational capabilities, as well as their ability to project sustained combat power in order to fight and win our nation’s wars abroad.

    “Perhaps the most valuable benefit from training at YTC is that it provides a realistic assessment of our unit’s combat readiness at any given time,” said Chaka. “The long-distance movements to and from the training area stress our logistical and asset-recovery capabilities, which are arguably some of the most critical tasks required of a mechanized organization. YTC also enables our battalion to develop and refine standard operating procedures and best-practices that will benefit future generations of Soldiers.”

    The training forces Soldiers at every echelon of leadership to hone their critical thinking and decision-making skills in real-time, Chaka said. Repetitive training in day and nighttime conditions while operating in difficult, unfamiliar terrain affords individual Soldiers the opportunity to gain confidence in themselves and each other.

    “As a platoon leader at YTC, I learned the value of incorporating flexibility into my course-of-action development,” said Chaka. “Flexibility is a crucial element during the execution phase of any operation and remaining overly-fixed to the initial plan prevents leaders from recognizing and seizing the initiative, or on the other hand, exercising tactical patience when the conditions are not set to continue the mission. In future training exercises, I will use my subordinate leaders more effectively, trust them to exercise initiative and adapt to the situation on the ground as it changes.”

    Prior to executing training operations at YTC, select Soldiers within 2-3 Inf. certified on the FGM-148 Javelin weapon system under the supervision of certified instructors from Jan. 30 to Feb. 17. The training allowed Soldiers across the battalion to develop the skills and confidence necessary to employ live javelin munitions as part of their individual platoon’s scheme of maneuver during platoon live fire exercises.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.27.2017
    Date Posted: 04.27.2017 12:25
    Story ID: 231774
    Location: US

    Web Views: 53
    Downloads: 1

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