The headquarters element was the first section to report on site Friday night in order to establish operations and prepare for the arrival of subordinate units, traveling from as far as Dagsboro.

The next to arrive was the 153^rd Military Police company who provided convoy security, area security and site "access and egress" (entrance and exit) throughout the operation. The 153^rd also provided the opposing force (OPFOR) role as the mission developed.

Injecting the enemy element and other potential threats are necessary for effective survival training, said Greenwell.

"Our unsung heroes in this exercise are the S-4 folks," said Greenwell. The brigade S-4 section managed all supply and logistics for "Halloween Havoc," either directly or by cooperation with subordinate supply sergeants.

"Our job was to have everything in place . fuel, rations, transportation, . portalets,. (training) equipment, etc. . before the units got here," said Sgt. 1^st Class Timothy Houser, Supply NCO, for Headquarters.

"Whatever the unit needs to survive in the field needs to be set up and anticipated. Replenishment of the food, fuel and other consumable items is ongoing," he said.

Houser attributes the ability to anticipate these needs to 17 years of experience in a signal unit, where he said he "lived in the field." As a seasoned field soldier, helping to coordinate the brigade. s needs came as second nature to Houser and the others on his team.Another section in the headquarters element adapted well to the coming together of more than 600 brigade soldiers. The personnel section, led by Maj. William Alexander, said that his section met people in the units and soldiers they never get to see face to face. "We. re all nice and cozy out here," said Alexander.

 The exercise was more personal than the usual phone calls, emails and memos, he said. In addition, the overall participation was on par with the norm, he said. As is also typical, "some soldiers have apprehensions at first about the FTXs, but once they get out here, they. re really glad they. re here," according to Alexander.

Sgt. DeAnna Castro, Company C, 2/126^th Aviation, New Castle, echoed these sentiments. "Aviation doesn. t always get to go out the field. So it. s a good refresher for some of us," she said.

Castro said that being in the field for this exercise also served as a "reality check" for her as a soldier. "With all the bombings going on and& war all over the world these days- reading the newspaper yesterday . you just never know when we might be called. Plus, look at the support missions we have spread all over the world; we need to be ready."