Opposing Forces, XCTC 21-05

Photo By Sgt. Tyler Morford | Members of the 125th Military Police Battalion, Puerto Rico National Guard, from the 755th MP Co., act as opposing forces, or OPFOR, and simulate an ambush attack on a convoy of the 995th Support Maintenance Company, 130th Field Artillery Brigade, Kansas National Guard during XCTC 21-05, Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, on June 11, 2021. Apart of the 125th MP Battalion, the 544 MP Co., also took part as opposing forces for the FTX Lanes during XCTC 21-05.  

CAMP GUERNSEY, WYOMING, UNITED STATES

06.11.2021

Story by Spc. Tyler Morford 

First Army

As an armed U.S. Army convoy routinely patrols down a road, an IED, or improvised explosive device, explodes near the convoy, and announces the beginning of an ambush by enemy forces; this isn’t just any enemy force, however, they are U.S. Army Soldiers themselves, acting as opposing forces, or OPFOR, who are set in place to simulate the tactics and patterns of enemy forces during this First Army training exercise in order to train the Soldiers in the convoy who received the simulated enemy contact.

These First Army training exercises, named XCTC, or eXportable Combat Training Capability, are training exercises that accommodate brigade-sized units. Managed and coordinated by First Army and The National Guard Bureau, XCTC exercises train and prepare U.S. Army units in platoon-level proficiency. This particular XCTC at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, trained and prepared the 130th Field Artillery Brigade with field training exercises including convoy security and patrol lanes on June 11, 2021.

First Army OC/Ts, or observer, coach, and trainers, plan and coordinate these battlefield scenarios, which include life-like scenarios. These simulations use pyrotechnics, such as simulated IEDs and RPGs, to increase the realism. The OPFOR enemy forces, in these scenarios, are Soldiers from partnered Reserve and National Guard components that rotate through each exercise, ensuring realistic training.

This XCTC features two Military Police units who fill the role as OPFOR, the 544th MP Company and the 755th MP Company, both from the 125th MP Battalion, from the Puerto Rico National Guard. One of those OPFOR Solders is Spc. Abimael Ramires, 544 MP Co, “Soldiers can get the opportunity to practice what they’ll be doing in real life and we, as Soldiers, want our brothers and sisters to become better and be successful.”

First Army leverages support to its reserve components, during exercises like this XCTC, by utilizing its active duty components to support this training; in this case, the 307th Field Artillery Regiment, 157th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division East, supported XCTC 21-05 to train and prepare the 130th Field Artillery Brigade, including the 995 Support Maintenance Company, of the Kansas National Guard, which executed the FTX convoy patrol and security lanes and received simulated enemy contact from the OPFOR forces. This partnership between First Army and its reserve components remains critical to the readiness of the total force and its global initiatives.

• Date Taken: 06.11.2021
• Date Posted: 07.27.2021 09:53
• Story ID: 399295
• Location: CAMP GUERNSEY, WYOMING, US