Delaware National Guard Battle Lab simulates wartime training scenario for signal units
Story and photos by Maj. Jane Zak, 261st Signal Brigade
Cadet Ken McDonald and SFC Howard Savage, Co A, 280th Signal
Battalion, discuss possible locations to place telecommunications
equipment. Their interactor initiates changes on the computer to
support their decisions. During the January MUTA, elements
of the 261st Signal Brigade and its subordinate battalions (198th
and 280th) assembled at the Training and Training Technology Battle Lab (T3BL) at
Ft. Dix, New Jersey to conduct a Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) which
would prepare them to deploy overseas in support of a war-time
mission.
For this exercise, the 261st
deployed the brigade and battalions staff elements and the company operations
cells from each of the units. After an in-brief from the Battle Lab staff, the
units received their Operations Order, and prepared to deploy for their
mission.
The Battle Lab (T3BL) provides the highest
quality, unclassified battle simulations to all ARNG command headquarters.
The purpose of a SIMEX is to improve communications for the Battle Staff
and reinforce the Deliberate Decision-Making Process. The training is
conducted through computer battle simulation. Maj. Katrina Lehman, the Officer In Charge (OIC)
of the SIMEX said that the scenario ‘being played’ was designed to allow
the two battalions to train as they would likely deploy and fight. Both
subordinate units were focusing on a sub-set of their Mission Essential
Task List (METL) and exercising their staff elements.
" We got the opportunity
to train the operations team on proper interaction with the staff elements,"
said Maj. Frank Santore, S-3 of the 280th Signal Battalion. In addition,
the SIMEX helped Santore's battalion "develop/refine reporting procedures within the
sections, and make improvements and additions to the FSOP (Field Standard
Operating Procedures)." The
SIMEX
is a also great experience for lower ranking soldiers, according
to Sgt. 1st Class Howard Savage, who is new to company
level operations. The environment allows them to see a ‘bigger picture’
and get experience with planning at the company level. Another benefit of the SIMEX environment is that you
can speed up or slow down the exercise based on the unit's proficiency.
You can stop the action and 're-do' the scenario as many times as is
needed to train to the standard. This is the place to make mistakes,
incorporate changes, and re-test on critical tasks. Success at the SIMEX
leads to success during tactical evaluations or conduct of the war time
mission.
Photo Gallery Cpt. Vince Hazzard and CW2 David Gleason
from the Logistics Section of the 261st Signal Brigade evaluate
roads that will be used as Main Supply Routes (MSR’s) by the
subordinate units. 1st Lt. Monique Georges, 259th Tropo Company works with her team to
assemble the first serial of vehicles scheduled to leave the
tactical assembly area (TAA) en route to their objective.
Maj. Frank Santore, Maj. Carl Johnson (standing),
Maj. Carnell Lofton, and Cpt. Robert Wardell (seated) discuss
enemy intelligence received in the Operations Center of the 261st
Signal Brigade. 1st Sgt. Robert Wilson, Chief Signal NCO at HHC, 280th
Signal Battalion, tracks the status of telecommunications assets
deployed for the
mission. (All photos by Maj. Jane
Zak)
Scroll down for more
photos.
Click on
images for larger photos
Sgt. 1st Class Charles Linthicum, Battlefield Spectrum
Manager, and Sgt. 1st Class Paul Nickerson, Switch Systems Chief, discuss a
FRAGO received by the 280th Signal
Battalion.
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