Photo By Staff Sgt. Alejandro Canizales | Soldiers participating in Operation Sustainment Warrior carry a litter towards an...... read more read more
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – Hundreds of soldiers stood at attention inside a Navy hangar here as the guidons of the five training companies were passed from first sergeants to company commanders participating in Operations Sustainment Warrior 2013 hosted by the 77th Sustainment Brigade.
OSW trained more than 400 Army Reserves soldiers with 12 different events from Aug. 3 to 16, including the largest Combat Lifesaver class this fiscal year.
With the decreasing number of troops going through pre-deployment training for Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army has taken lessons learned and applied them to training events such as OSW for reservists, said Army Col. Joyce B. Junior, commander of the 77th SB here.
“When we hosted OSW last year we had approximately 181, 191 soldiers that actually participated but they were all from [the 77th],” said Junior. “As we start to downsize with the Army Reserves of ‘big’ Army as far as our deployments are concerned … this is a unique way of keeping soldiers’ skills current.”
In keeping with the DoD’s total force policy that recognizes Reserve forces as an integral part of military operations not a force of last resort, OSW included combat exercises emphasizing urban warfare. This training included virtual reality war tactics, live-fire M16 training, and a mock city scenario.
“This training its all about teamwork and communication … minimal mistakes add up. In this training we take it real,” said Spc. Juan Ramos, 408th Human Resources Company, New York City. “Luck is not the skill.”
The live fire M16 training included weapon calibration, target practice and qualification. Soldiers first attended a refresher class on marksmanship fundamentals, which include proper form, aiming, breath control and trigger squeeze. After the classroom training, soldiers move on to the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000, a virtual trainer that utilizes a true-to-life replica rifle and a computer screen target. After completing the indoor training, they “zero” or calibrate their weapons using real ammunition. Once zeroed, they shoot at targets in order to qualify with their weapon. M16 qualification is an annual requirement for all enlisted soldiers.
VICE, Virtual Interactive Combat Environment, is computer assisted combat training where soldiers can “go on patrol” in small groups, operating replica weapons outfitted with computer directional controls. Upon completion of the scenario, soldiers conducted an after action review where they watched recorded footage of their actions on within the scenario. This critical review allowed potentially fatal errors to be corrected before engaging in a real world scenario. Soldiers who went through VICE training before other squad based patrol trainings say that they were able to apply techniques learned on the VICE trainer in real life.
“It was awesome training. It was pretty elaborate,” said Army Pfc. Timothy A. Boyd, with the 143rd Transportation Company, Orlando, Fla. “The event I liked the most was the immersion lane.”
Practical lifesaving techniques were taught as well such as first aide and vehicle roll-over survival.
The Combat Lifesaver course, which spanned three days, taught first responder medical techniques, useful in all situations, not just combat. Service members of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, along with Army instructors, contributed to the training effort. This was the largest CLS class this fiscal year, said Army Maj. Rodger A. Woodruff, with 77th and officer-in-charge for OSW.
The first day entailed the classroom portion, preparing soldiers with the knowledge from the Army CLS manual. The second day soldiers were able to apply that knowledge in realistic training events held outdoors in Doughboy Field here. The final part of the course consisted of a written exam and a litter obstacle course with simulated combat where soldiers performed emergency medical procedures to treat the wounded.
Not only was it the largest, it also succeeded in certifying 100 percent of the trainees that participated, said Army Sgt. James W. Ramsay, a healthcare specialist with the 327th Medical Command here.
HEAT, HMMWV (Humvee) Egress Assistance Training, is intense military vehicle rollover training where soldiers experience different roll-over scenarios. Soldiers first receive classroom instruction on vehicle rollover incidents, statistics and safety. HEAT provided a skill transferable to civilian passenger vehicles, especially SUVs and vans. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death Army wide.
A career fair, which took place the first day of OSW, was also included to help soldiers find civilian employment in this harsh economic climate. The goal was to provide resources for our soldiers either unemployed or looking for a career change. One of the vendors, UPS had a goal of hiring 80 veterans on the spot.
Medical and dental screenings were also provided the first day to ensure the readiness and health of reservists. Logistics Health Institute, a health services contractor, provided a myriad of services including root canals, extractions and fillings to soldiers. This was especially valuable to those without health insurance of their own.
Sustainer Olympics finished off the training as a friendly athletic competition between the five training companies. Events ranging from volleyball to pushup relays stressed physical fitness and team cohesion.
| Date Taken: | 08.16.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2013 14:31 |
| Story ID: | 112219 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 339 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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