FORT CARSON, Colo. – The 4th Infantry Division conducted Lethal Ivy, a division-level command post exercise (CPX), Aug. 21-28, 2024, at Fort Carson and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site.
Lethal Ivy prepares the division for large-scale combat operations and ensures its ability to operate from various locations to practice multi-domain operations.
Sgt. Maj. Kevin Huff, sergeant major of the 4th Infantry Division’s Signal Operations, said this exercise reflects the division’s core values of lethal teams and ready people. He added, Lethal Ivy is a great opportunity for the Soldiers and division staff to exercise the warfighting functions and ensure we get after those core values.
Units involved in the division CPX included the Division Artillery, the Division Sustainment Brigade, the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, and the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, which operated in Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, more than 90 miles away from the command post.
This exercise highlighted the significance of coordination and communication.
Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, said the division needs these CPXs to simulate the division activated by corp-level leadership to operate in large-scale combat operations.
This exercise used real-world and simulated units to add realism to the exercise while providing the division headquarters with additional support units through simulation. Division leaders were temporarily designated as the acting corp-level leaders to provide exercise control. The exercise controllers inject various events into the exercise to observe how the division would react. This enabled the division staff to develop new methods to solve challenging circumstances in a real-world scenario.
Natural elements such as rain, wind, and inconsistent terrain caused equipment and systems to accumulate stress; this tested the division’s capability to think quickly and resolve these issues.
Lethal Ivy set the groundwork for the division to perform various training opportunities by being able to execute an air assault, a wet gap crossing, tactical road marches, and setting up and moving command posts.
“What the Soldiers are getting out of this training is not only how to conduct expeditionary operations, but they're also learning how to do their job,” said 1st Sgt. Briana Kozain, first sergeant of the Signal Sustainment Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, Division Artillery Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. “Soldiers are absolutely the foundation of this exercise. They are learning how to conduct themselves in the field, how to conduct field operations, and how they also do their job in the field.
Lethal Ivy was the first division-level CPX to lead up to Warfighter in 2025.
“This is our chance to improve our readiness, our warrior tasks and battle drills, and our standard operating procedures, both for the strategic level for a real-world mission,” said Lt. Col. Darin Gumucio, deputy chief of staff for the rear area command post. “Warfighter is our validation; by integrating different functions or expertise within the division and the Army.”
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Date Taken: | 08.29.2024 |
Date Posted: | 09.11.2024 11:37 |
Story ID: | 479837 |
Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
Web Views: | 101 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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