Photo By Sgt. Aaron Ricca | Soldiers from the California National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment...... read more read more
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CAMP ROBERTS, Calif. - Sounds of Adhan (Islamic call to prayer) echo off the canyon walls. The hot, arid wind brings with it dust and feelings of nervous anticipation from the soldiers of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, as they approach a bunker dug into a hillside. The cracking of an AK-47 machine gun breaks the silence. Nearly 100 meters from where the California Army National Guard infantrymen are advancing, a man in a gun-mounted truck facing the troops also opens fire. The men take cover, return fire and begin a coordinated counterattack. Within minutes, the opposing forces threat is eliminated.
In preparation for future deployments to areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, the battalion, whose headquarters are in Inglewood, Calif., spent part of their annual training in August and a weekend drill in October in becoming the first Golden State National Guard unit to roll through the newly constructed Infantry Squad Battle Course at Camp Roberts, Calif.
Primary features of the fully automated, 80-meter-wide, 1300-meter-deep range include a Visual Battle Simulator, a computer-based simulation program that takes place in a building before soldiers even step foot out on the lanes. Throughout the small canyon, where the course is laid out, are multiple types of targets.
Twenty green, plastic, human shaped ‘Echo’ silhouette pop-up Stationary Infantry Targets scatter the course. If those are too easy to shoot, six Mobile Infantry Targets—the same ‘Echo’ silhouette targets—slide back and forth on a rail system, forcing the shooter to hone sharper marksmanship skills. Six truck-silhouetted Stationary Armor Targets—with a human figure with painted scowl and beard included—might pop up from a dirt mound at any given time. There is even a single Mobile Armor Target, a SAT that can move back and forth on a rail system, providing soldiers a chance to get a feel for what it might be like to shoot at a vehicle if necessary. And to top it all off there are also five machine gun and observation bunkers and two trench obstacles that infantrymen will have to slither their way through to get to the next objective.
According to the Training Circular 25-8, an Army range training publication, the lane’s purpose is to train and test infantry squads on the skills necessary to conduct tactical movement techniques. There is a pragmatic intention.
“Setting them [the soldiers] up for success,” said Camp Roberts range branch non-commissioned officer in charge, Master Sgt. William Black, of those traversing the course. “So subordinates have faith in their squad leaders and team leaders’ abilities.”
Construction started on the range, located slightly north of the current rifle and pistol ranges at Camp Roberts, in 2007 and was completed in 2009. Other elements, such as the variety of targets, electrical wiring and solar panels that power the targets have been added over the last two years. The range used to function as an un-automated course dating back to the Vietnam War era. Back then, soldiers sitting under a concrete bunker would tape a paper target to a staff, raise it above the cement barrier and hold on as it would get riddled with bullets.
Today’s range encompasses a whole new world of technology. Following one of many range safety briefs, the first module of training involves an aspect of life interwoven in the fabric of this particular new generation of soldiers. Before any training occurs on the range, a unit will go through the VBS in the range operations building onsite.
The VBS computer-based system is almost specifically designed to engage the video game generation with multiple laptop computers. Virtual missions can be specifically tailored by company commanders to accommodate what type of training the leadership desires. The battle takes place in two rooms full of computers where squads square-off against each other. Squad and platoon leaders can view a three-dimensional overview of the battlefield situation on a large screen in a central area. The three-dimensional simulation helps soldiers practice squad tactics in a virtual world before they venture out into the real one.
Following computer games, the soldiers will make their way through the physical course. Currently, this range is ready for live fire exercises. Even though no unit has gone through that level of intense realism yet, every entity will receive a safety briefing regardless of the type of training, live fire or not.
“There is a phenomenal opportunity for unsafe things to happen on the range,” said Camp Roberts range branch officer, Maj. Joseph Lovelace. “However, soldier safety is first and foremost and we will do everything possible to that end.”
Soldiers rigged in full battle-rattle—body armor, helmets, weapons and ammunition—begin the trek through the nearly one-mile long course. Along the way they’ll encounter the numerous obstacles, all of which are activated by range observer/controllers using a mobile laptop computer system, all while walking alongside the squads on the lane.
The purpose of the ISBC is similar to any other range at Camp Roberts, to support unit training and perfect skills they need to be experts on the battlefield.
“Were actually here to learn from our own mistakes and learn from other people,” said 22 year-old Pfc. Christopher Lopez.
“I was blown away,” said Charlie Company executive officer 1st Lt. Cameron Larsuel after completing the ISBC. “This course is one of the most advanced lanes I’ve seen in my six years in the military.”
Over the course of a day, soldiers get a realistic experience that will ultimately prepare them for future pre-mobilization combat training that will better suit them in real world combat. In the next few months various California National Guard units will have the opportunity to use the ISBC. That’s what it was designed for.
The ISBC and its bigger brother, the nearby Platoon Battle Course, are ready to help troops train to fight and win, no matter where they will deploy.
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2011 20:15 |
| Story ID: | 80089 |
| Location: | CAMP ROBERTS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 237 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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