Photo By Pfc. Joshua Fish | U.S. Army Soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (2ABCT), 1st Infantry...... read more read more
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FORT RILEY, Kansas — U.S. Army Soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat
Team (2ABCT), 1st Infantry Division, completed a National Training Center (NTC) rotation on
Fort Irwin, California, Sept. 6-Oct. 10, 2024.
The 2ABCT, known as the Dagger Brigade, completed a challenging month-long rotation
at NTC. They encountered a range of simulated threats and operational challenges designed to
test and enhance their readiness, sharpening their lethality and advancing their combat
capabilities.
“It’s essential to prepare yourself physically and mentally for the challenges at
NTC,” said 1st Sgt. Quitze Garcia, 1st Sgt. for Delta Company, 450th Civil Affairs Battalion
(Airborne), 360th Civil Affairs Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve. “Accept that you will be tested and
plan to rise to the occasion. Embrace the difficulties, connect with your team, and choose to be
resilient.”
The National Training Center was established in 1981 as a training ground designed to
prepare brigade combat teams (BCTs) for the complexities of modern warfare. Fort Irwin's desert
terrain, known for its extreme temperatures and rugged landscape, provides a realistic combat
environment that exposes units to real-world challenges they might face in an actual deployment.
NTC is designed to push units to their limits, often forcing them into situations where failure is
inevitable so that they can learn from mistakes in realistic combat scenarios.
This year, the Dagger Brigade was immersed in scenarios designed to test everything
from individual skills to large-scale brigade coordination. This rotation at NTC highlighted
training across the range of military operations, from Operations Other Than War to combat
scenarios.
“Every battalion had a different PACE [Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency]
plan, which often led to losing communications. To overcome this, we had to circulate the
battlefield both day and night, which was especially challenging in the desert where everything
looks the same,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Teddy Lee, senior paralegal for Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, 2ABCT. “We continually reassessed our communication systems as the
battle progressed, focusing on recognizing friendly and enemy forces through established
markings.”
The Dagger Brigade focused on countering modern threats, including drone swarms,
which demand rapid response and precise detection. Soldiers engaged in simulated battles with
these airborne threats, using radar and anti-air systems to detect, track, and neutralize drones,
while also honing traditional field tactics.
Each engagement and mission served as an opportunity to assess and adjust tactics,
techniques, and procedures, uncovering strengths and areas for further improvement. The
challenging environment and high-tempo operations highlighted the need for quick decision-
making, adaptability, and collaboration.
“Modern problems simulated by the environment and the scenario really showed the
importance of integration and interoperability amongst all units involved,” said U.S. Army Staff
Sgt. Christian Young, a civil affairs specialist assigned to the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion
(Airborne). “Everyone has something to contribute to the fight and it’s about finding out where
you fit into the puzzle.”
The rotation at Fort Irwin sharpened the Dagger Brigade’s skills and adaptability,
pushing the unit and individual soldiers to refine their approach to modern warfare. With new
insights and strengthened tactics, the brigade returns home prepared to face future missions with
the precision and resolve demanded by today’s battlefield.
“Our recent rotation at the National Training Center was a rigorous test of our brigade’s
capabilities, particularly in managing our communications and logistics networks. Despite the
challenges, we demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability,” said Maj. Katie Baumann,
2ABCT executive officer, adding that she was proud of the progress she saw in the brigade
throughout the exercise, and by the end she was looking forward to implementing all they had
learned.
“Our goal was to get better every day, both as a staff and individually as experts in our
fighting craft. Leaders should jump at any opportunity to attend, whether as an augmentee OC/T,
OPFOR, RTU, [observer controller/trainer, opposition force, rotational training unit] or even as a
future assignment, because of how much you can develop, professionally and personally, in the
high desert,” Baumann stated.
Dagger led the charge for 1ID units at NTC, with the division headquarters, artillery,
aviation, and sustainment assets heading for their rotation in the new year, and their sister
brigade, Devil, shortly after.
NTC was designed to train and test BCTs, but the training giant is facing a new
challenge, training division headquarters elements in large-scale combat operations. First
Division will be the second division headquarters to test their skills against the
observer/controllers of NTCs Operations Group. The 1 st Armored Division completed their
rotation in early 2024 setting the bar for follow-on division rotations.
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.01.2024 15:27 |
| Story ID: | 484484 |
| Location: | FORT RILEY, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 163 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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