Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Scott Evans | BOISE, Idaho – Staff Sgt. Jessica Foster (left), a geospatial intelligence imagery...... read more read more
BOISE, Idaho – Throughout the month of June, Observer, Coach, Trainers (OC/Ts) of the 189th Infantry Brigade (CATB) performed training oversight during Western Strike 22-06 as part of the the eXportable Combat Training Capability (xCTC) at the Orchard Combat Training Center at Boise, Idaho for the 65th Field Artillery Brigade of the Utah National Guard.
“The overall goal of xCTC is to create mastery at the fundamentals at the platoon level, so we create lethal platoons that can fight,” said Lt. Col. Jason Murray, the exercise chief of training and commander of 3rd Battalion, 358th Field Artillery Regiment, 189th CATB. “We also have very unique opportunity where we can work to stress the system from the division level down to the actual shooter, so we are able to effectively exercise the entire chain.”
The Leadership of the 65th FA Bde. sought opportunities throughout the exercise to develop Soldiering skills and techniques within the unit through rigorous training.
“My training objective for Western Strike 22-06 is for ‘America’s Thunder’ to build highly trained and disciplined, lethal and cohesive teams,” Col. Shawn Fuellenbach, brigade commander, 65th FA Bde. during the exercise. “We have been able to achieve that object and build lethality and readiness simultaneously. I am incredibly proud of what our Soldiers have accomplished during this exercise.”
The emphasis of Western Strike was centered on low-echelon level training, however the exercise proved to be a learning experience for everyone involved.
“This unit in particular is very used to Warfighter [exercises] so they get a lot of reps as a staff, but they don’t get a lot of reps controlling their own units,” Maj. Nick Bowers, an operations officer and OC/T assigned to 3rd Bn., 358th FA Regt., 189th CATB said. “This is one of the few times they are able to get out and work with their own subordinates and tie a lot of those things they practice at these Warfighters to real life.”
The training the 65th FA Bde. received this month will be vital for their execution of future operations.
“The brigade headquarters, the radar platoon, and the 340th Brigade Support Battalion [and others] are the Contingency Response Force for FY23,” Bowers noted. “If they were activated, they would deploy to stand up a force field artillery headquarters wherever they were called to and whatever artillery assets were in the area would fall underneath them.”
Western Strike 22-06 served to solidify the continued partnership between the Cold Steel Brigade and the National Guard units involved.
“The 65th Field Artillery Brigade has had many partners that have been instrumental in our success,” Fuellenbach said. “The 189th Combined Arms Training Brigade has provided over 100 OC/Ts who have mentored and trained the almost 2,000 Soldiers from four states who participated in this exercise. The Idaho National Guard and Orchard Combat Training Center have been great hosts, allowing us to take full advantage of the training facilities.”
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| Date Taken: | 06.16.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2022 15:34 |
| Story ID: | 423153 |
| Location: | BOISE, IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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