FORT STEWART, Ga. – The most important thing Lt. Col. Nathan Swartz said he learned from 15 months as a support operations officer was to never fall in love with a plan because the plan will change.
The commander of 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, shared that nugget of wisdom, July 27, at the start of a rehearsal of concept drill hosted by his battalion as the culminating event of a Support Operations Phase 2 course held at Fort Stewart, Ga.
The ROC Drill, developed by approximately 28 leaders from across the division, represented an initial concept of support plan designed for an upcoming “Vanguard” field training exercise.
Instead of conducting the ROC drill via the course’s traditional route—through a computer presentation—Swartz said the students opted for constructing a massive sand table in the battalion motor pool. Each leader walked the model while they explained their area of support, whether it entailed maintenance, food or ammunition storage.
Maj. Alain Fisher, the 703rd BSB’s support operations officer, said the intent of the Support Operations Phase 2 course is to professionally develop senior non-commissioned officers and junior officers in the multifunctional logistics and sustainment activities that regularly take place in battalion and higher-level units. He said the leaders met the course’s objectives by developing the functional initial concept of support plan.