Training continues on Camp Taji as Soldiers conduct validation lane training to become more adept at emergency combat situations during an improvised-explosive device attack Monday.
Each battalion in the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, selected units to conduct the training and address situations and events that may not take place in each unit's particular area of operation.
"Not every battalion goes everywhere," said Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Wells, 1st BCT. "During this training, a unit will see something that doesn't happen in their AO. One Soldier might see something in their AO every day that another Soldier doesn't see in theirs at all."
Each battalion sends certain units to conduct a patrol mission over a four-mile course that lasts five to six hours. After performing a daylight mission, the units then conduct night operations.
The units are given scenarios in which Soldiers encounter IEDs and other patrol scenarios and then must perform emergency procedures in responses.
Observer controllers plan the missions, watch and note how well the units conduct the emergency response operations, and provide them feedback to correct possible problems.
"We select OCs from units with experience in the particular AO," Wells said. "The process begins with troop leaders going over procedures, to include detainee handling, site exploitation and the dissemination of information."
Sgt. Roma Peace, a medic with Company C, 4th Support Battalion, served as an OC and watched Soldiers perform the medical procedures after being briefed by the OCs as to what damage or injuries they received.
"I oversee the medical portion of the lane. They get hit by an IED and I walk over and point out casualties," said Peace. "The main thing is we want to see how they execute " how they conduct proper casualty treatment, proper transfer of casualties and the set up of the landing zone along with their nine-line medivac (medical evacuation) procedures."
Peace observed several patrol missions already on the lanes and noted the Soldiers do perform the same actions in different ways.
"Everyone is different," he said. "There are many ways to do certain tasks, but we make sure that they do things according to the Army standard. That's the goal."
To add to the sense of realism, grenade simulators and blasting caps were used to replicate IEDs on the course, delivering a touch of intensity to the course.
"I was surprised by the IED," said Spc. Joshua Caban, cannon crew member, Co. A, 4th Bn., 42nd Field Artillery Regiment. "I never got hit before. The flash and noise dazes you. For a second, you don't even know what to do, but then the training kicks in. I received shrapnel wound to the neck, and the medic moved me before he started to treat me. He did a good job."
After the daylight portion of the mission, there is a break where the OCs give the units feedback on their performance.
"It went pretty good. As an OC, we controlled what IEDs happen when and where, then where I want them to conduct a medivac," said Sgt. 1st Class Rene Cano, OC, Co. D, 1st Bn., 66th Armor Regt. "Each area sees different things, so the units see things they weren't accustomed to. Their patrol leaders have a better understanding now. I think it's helping Soldiers a lot; they are identifying problems based on things they haven't seen before."
The training lanes will continue until all of the battalions in the brigade receive the training.
| Date Taken: |
06.19.2006 |
| Date Posted: |
06.19.2006 14:01 |
| Story ID: |
6855 |
| Location: |
TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: |
220 |
| Downloads: |
33 |
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