Photo By Sgt. Andrea Notter | Forces Command (FORSCOM) Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims speaks with Spc. Melanie Garcia...... read more read more
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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Forces Command (FORSCOM) Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims toured the home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Apr. 25-27, 2022, Fort Campbell, Ky.
During his visit, Sims focused on the real-world training conducted by the 101st during Operation Lethal Eagle II to observe firsthand the execution of the division-wide exercise and gain insight into how FORSCOM could better release training guidance.
Sims emphasized the importance of the size and level of unit participation of Operation Lethal Eagle II.
“It’s important that we’re out here doing large-scale combat operations training,” said Sims. “It’s great to actually have a division out in the field because we haven’t done that in so long and this is the first division that has done it.”
Sims knows the lessons learned from the operations conducted by the 101st have a potential impact for more than just the Screaming Eagles. He hopes that other divisions will follow suit and carry out their own division exercises. Putting Soldiers in the field to train on sustainment and learn engagement area development with no distractions should be the standard.
“I’m thinking about all the years I’ve spent at Fort Campbell, doing exactly what we’re doing right now, the 30-day and 21-day field problems, and how important it is to develop a team,” said Sims. “But then also how important it is to understand what your job really is, because the only way to learn what your job is to be out in the field doing your job.”
Joined by Division Command Sgt. Maj. Veronica Knapp during his tour, he observed a platoon live fire exercise conducted by Able Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment “Red Curahee,” 1st Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne.”
Commanding General of the 101st Maj. Gen. JP McGee joined him as he gained an aerial perspective of OLE II by flying over the brigade field footprints.
In addition, he visited the division finance office, the 39th Brigade Engineer Battalion and the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 101st Sustainment Brigade “Lifeliners.”
With the visit to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment “Blue Spaders,” 2nd Brigade Combat Team “Strike,” Sims again met with McGee as the subject matter experts of 1-26th briefed him on their basic tasks and drills to ensure senior leaders understood the requirements needed to create an effective defensive position in a combat scenario.
To him, it is important that he gets out to see Operation Lethal Eagle II himself.
A former Fort Campbell and 1-26 “Blue Spader” Soldier himself, Sims is proud of his former unit and division.
“It's always fun to get out and see a unit that you’ve spent a long time in and deployed with to combat, but it’s especially good to know the 1-26th Infantry Regiment is carrying out its mission here at Fort Campbell,” said Sims. “Traditionally, the 1-26th was at 1st Infantry Division and it’s good to see them training here at Fort Campbell and at JRTC doing excellent things. I know the Soldiers are ready and it’s always good to be at FORSCOM and say ‘Blue Spaders’ are ready to go, and so are almost all the Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division.”
His advice for the Soldiers of the 101st to stay grounded in the fundamentals.
“That’s what we’re doing out here is the fundamentals over and over, to be experts at what we do, so that when the nation calls, the 101st Airborne Division will be there,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2022 18:23 |
| Story ID: | 419713 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 294 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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