FIRST CAV AND BRAVE RIFLES ENHANCE READINESS THROUGH JOINT EXERCISE

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Gary Cooper | Col. Nathaniel Crow, 1st Cavalry Division G3, monitors the battle in the 1CD Combined Operations and Intelligence Centre, during Command Post Exercise 2, March 3, at Fort Hood, Tx. The exercise also served as 3rd Cavalry Regiment’s “Rifles Forge” their pinnacle event prior to a rotation to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Ca. (Photo by Pvt. 1st Class Cheyne Hanoski)  

FORT HOOD, TX, TX, UNITED STATES

03.04.2022

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Gary Cooper 

1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade

1st Cavalry Division Headquarters Staff and 3rd Cavalry Regiment trained together in a joint command post exercise from Feb. 28 through Mar. 4, at Fort Hood.
“This week, the Division is keenly focused on CPX 2 in conjunction with ‘Rifles Forge,’ the pinnacle event for 3CR as they prepare for NTC 22-07,” said Col. Nathaniel Crow, 1st Cavalry Division G3. “The additional CPX gives the Division Headquarters the opportunity to exercise our Command and Control System, while also providing Observer Coach/Trainers for Brave Rifles, giving valuable feedback and helping unit leaders see themselves.”
The purpose of an OC/T is to observe units during training exercises to control the training unit's environment and to provide feedback during the after-action review. While the Army has units dedicated to this mission, such as Fort Hood’s First Army Division West, 1st Cavalry Soldiers served as OC/Ts only temporarily, in order to enhance Brave Rifles’ readiness.
“The outcome is being able to deliver an honest report back to 3CR, so they know the areas that they may want to focus on in any final training before they go to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin Ca.,” said Maj. Jack Meyers, 1st Cavalry Division Space Operations Officer.
While 1CD assisted 3CR with Rifles Forge, the exercise doubled as 1st Cav’s CPX 2. “The exercise prepares our Division Staff and 3 CR for deployment/contingency operations through realistic, rigorous, and effective training,” said Crow. “Successful completion of both CPX 2 and 3 CR CTE set conditions for successful mission completion at WFX 22-4.”
“For 1st Cav, this is one step in a two-year training progression, leading up to the fiscal year 2023 Warfighter series, where Division will get evaluated by Mission Command Training Program out of Fort Leavenworth,” said Meyers. “We started last summer with some tent exercises, or Tentex, moved into CPX 0.5 just before Christmas, CPX 1 in January, and this is our CPX 2, leading into Global Defender 22/Warfighter 22-3 in April, Warfighter 22-4 after that, and later on we’ll go into the Warfighter 23 series.”
Serving as OC/Ts, 1CD plans to provide feedback to 3CR, but since the exercise doubles as training for the command post, they will also need to self-assess their performance during the exercise.
“Over the next reporting period we look forward to an AAR with Brave Rifles,” said Crow, “but also a Division internal AAR continuing our training progression and readiness for future operations. We’ll evaluate, for instance, how well we have established and integrated mission command systems among command posts.”
While the CPX is one exercise in a long chain of command post exercises for the Cav, the immediate focus is on Brave Rifles.
“The most important part of this exercise is the readiness piece for 3rd Cavalry Regiment,” said Meyers, “getting them ready for NTC.”

• Date Taken: 03.04.2022
• Date Posted: 03.08.2022 18:45
• Story ID: 416057
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, TX, US
• Hometown: FORT IRWIN, CA, US
• Hometown: KILLEEN, TX, US