Fort Indiantown Gap hosts division-level warfighter exercise

Photo By Maj. Jean Kratzer | Leaders of the 42nd Infantry Division of the New York Army National Guard conduct a Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) drill at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennyslvania on Oct. 4, 2017 as the division moves into the first day of its Warfighter exercise. Leaders talked through key mission points to ensure that leaders at all levels have a shared operational concept. Warfighter tests the ability of division and brigade levels to conduct staff functions. ( U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Jean Kratzer)  

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, UNITED STATES

10.26.2017

Story by Sgt. Zane Craig 

Fort Indiantown Gap

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Approximately 4,500 service members from the Army and Air National Guards, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army Reserves participated in Warfighter 18-1 here from mid-September to mid-October.

This is the second time Fort Indiantown Gap has hosted a division-level warfighter exercise, following Warfighter 17-2 held here in October and November, 2016.

The New York National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division was the primary training audience during the exercise, while the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade from the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division were key participants.

“Maintaining a fit and well-trained force is a priority not only for the 28th ID, but the 28th ECAB as well, and warfighter gives us an opportunity we can’t get on a regular drill weekend,” said Lt. Col. Howard Lloyd, commander of the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade.

The warfighter exercise provides real interactions with professional role players in the exercise, including media reporters, local civilian leaders, non-governmental agencies, humanitarian relief groups and even criminal organizations, all meeting with and challenging the decisions and actions of a unit’s leadership and staff.

“I am very proud of our Soldiers and how they performed here. The 28th ECAB is ready to accomplish whatever mission we are called to do. Warfighter proved that we have a team of Soldiers the Army, our country, and the commonwealth can be proud of and count on,” said Lloyd.

Soldiers from other states joined the Pennsylvania brigades, including the New York Army National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade, the New Jersey Army National Guard’s 50th Brigade, the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, and the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 142nd Field Artillery Brigade.

Warfighter exercises are computer-simulated. They are designed to train and test military units on command and control procedures and communication while responding to various scenarios.

The Soldiers participating in the large-scale battle simulation will manage the combat operations of more than 12,000 personnel in the computer simulation, with everything related to warfighting, including the plans and movements to gather intelligence on an enemy, maneuvering forces to the fight, providing medical evacuation, resupply and maintenance and replacement operations.

Once the battle commences, operations run 24-hours a day, testing the effectiveness of synchronization within staff sections to operate continuously tracking battlefield reports and responding to changes on the computer battlefield.

Fort Indiantown Gap, headquarters of the Pennsylvania National Guard, is the only live-fire, maneuver military training facility in Pennsylvania and the busiest National Guard Training Center in the country.

For more information visit the Fort Indiantown Gap website at ftig.png.pa.gov, and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ftindiantowngap.

• Date Taken: 10.26.2017
• Date Posted: 10.26.2017 10:33
• Story ID: 253058
• Location: FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, US