First Army Provides real world training through Operation Ready Warrior

Photo By Warren Marlow | During Ready Warrior, 4th Cav. MFTB observer coach/trainers lead Soldiers through multiple exercises to develop, sustain, and improve their proficiency on Army Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills, while also mitigating potential exposure to COVID-19 and threats from wildfires.  

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, UNITED STATES

10.01.2020

Story by Sgt. William Brown 

First Army

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. – Soldiers from 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade recently supported the 91st Training Division here and trained more than 500 Soldiers on Army Warrior Tasks during Operation Ready Warrior.

During Ready Warrior, 4th Cav. MFTB observer coach/trainers led Soldiers through multiple exercises to develop, sustain, and improve their proficiency on Army Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills, while also mitigating potential exposure to COVID-19 and threats from wildfires.

“Operation Ready Warrior was something that many of First Army’s OC/Ts were not used to,” said Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rios Jr, a medical OC/T assigned to 1st Battalion, 410th Brigade Engineer Battalion, First Army Division East. “We are not only observing, coaching, and training Soldiers, but also having to develop, train, and evaluate a warrior skills training exercise.”

Operation Ready Warrior and similar exercises center around the Army Total Force Policy in an ongoing effort to prepare the Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve for operations across the globe.

“During these past two weeks, these Soldiers went through various tasks such as land navigation, radio/communication, medical, [Army Combat Fitness Test], [preliminary marksmanship instruction] and [improvised explosive device] training,” said Rios. “As Soldiers left many of these classes, they expressed gratitude for being taught new skills that would better prepare them for tomorrow’s challenges.”

As OC/Ts were planning the exercise, they also had to consider obstacles that could impact the training. Operation Ready Warrior had two different challenges: a global pandemic and wildfires.

“COVID-19 didn’t hinder the training much,” Rios said. “Despite taking precautions such as continually wearing the mask and ensuring all Soldiers wash and sanitize their hands frequently, activity resumed as planned.”

The Dolan fire, which got to within a couple of miles of where the Soldiers were training, presented a unique situation in which the 4th Cav. OC/Ts had to ensure all Soldiers were safely training against the backdrop of a problem that could change rapidly.

“The wildfires were the most significant challenge to Operation Ready Warrior,” Rios said.

“The air quality index was hazardous for most days, so we moved the training indoors to keep the Soldiers safe,” he said, “and the command had a plan to evacuate all Soldiers if they felt that the threat was too significant.”

As the OC/Ts overcame these challenges while enabling reserve component partners to learn and grow, it showed First Army and 4th Cav. MFTB’s tireless commitment to the Army Total Force Policy.

“First Army’s involvement in this exercise shows our dedication to assisting our Reserve partners,” said Lt. Col. Victor E. Trujillo II, commander of the 1st Bn., 410th BEB.

“Since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, the reserve components have been conducting virtual battle assemblies, but Operation Ready Warrior gets after the U.S. Army Forces command commander’s priority of developing the fundamentals and First Army’s shared vision of Total Force Readiness.”

As solider move on from this real-world training provided to them during Operation Ready Warrior, and the knowledge and lessons learned from this exercise, they will be better prepared to face future exercises and deployments.

• Date Taken: 10.01.2020
• Date Posted: 10.02.2020 15:48
• Story ID: 380131
• Location: FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US