Task Force Spartan Soldiers perform an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE)

Photo By Spc. Samantha Petersen | U.S. Airmen 2nd Lt. Alec Fetzer and Staff Sgt. Garrett Valosek oversee an area where they conducted a fires mission in Jordan during an emergency deployment readiness exercise on May 3-10, 2019. The airmen are the United States Air Force tactical air control party attached to the division for the exercise and were able to provide the air to ground communication for fires missions. The purpose of this exercise is to set up a tactical command post and demonstrate the ability to perform command and control from a forward deployed location. The 82nd Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron is supporting U.S. Central Command’s Task Force Spartan throughout the area of responsibility. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Samantha Petersen)  

JORDAN

05.03.2019

Story by Spc. Samantha Petersen 

Task Force Spartan

Task Force Spartan Soldiers from the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division and 18th Field Artillery Brigade conducted an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) from May 3, 2019 to May 10, 2019 in Jordan. The exercise demonstrates the readiness of the Red Bull’s ability to assume command and control of a mission from a forward deployed location.
An EDRE entails moving equipment and personnel that make up a command post as well as establishing a new area of operation. The 34th ID was able to quickly establish the tactical command post, setup communications and conduct a communications exercise with higher and subordinate units operations, intelligence and fusion cells in an eight-day period.
During that period the 18th Field Artillery Brigade supported the mission with tactical command post contingency operations including fire missions and validating procedures. The 18th FAB fully integrated its’ assets into the division’s tactical command post and provided the ability for the forward location to conduct long range fires.
The Red Bulls set up a deployable rapid assembly shelter as well the secret and non-classified internet protocol router networks in preparation for the exercise that kicked off once all systems were operational. This allowed the Red Bulls to provided and utilized tactical access the strategic network though SIPR/NIPR Access point (SNAP) by validating their systems.
Brig. Gen. Michael Wickman, Deputy Commanding General of Operations and Brig. Gen. Taher Marashdih, director of operations for the Jordan Armed Forces were also able to visit the tactical command post and observe its’ operations and functionality.
The four-phase operation included planning, equipment and personnel movement to the forward location, set up and execution of the command post, and recovery operations. The training objectives included conducting operations as well as providing and maintaining communications throughout the duration of the exercise further validating Task Force Spartan’s ability to perform command and control from a remote location.

• Date Taken: 05.03.2019
• Date Posted: 05.23.2019 03:44
• Story ID: 323603
• Location: JO