Courtesy Photo | The M320 Grenade Launcher was just one of the division’s weapons systems to receive...... read more read more
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BUSAN GWANG'YEOGSI, South Korea - As part of the Army’s Force Generation process, better known as ARFORGEN, units progress through states of combat readiness on a rotating basis, helping to ensure an even and timely distribution of new equipment, cutting-edge training and – ultimately – combat readiness and deployments.
However, the 2nd Infantry Division is a unique unit with a unique mission that has not historically been part of the ARFORGEN process. As the Army’s last remaining permanently forward-deployed division, stationed on the most heavily fortified border in the world, a state of reduced readiness is not an option.
In the past, new equipment fielding was conducted throughout the year with little consideration for unit training schedules, personnel transitions and readiness, causing disruptions to unit training and poor predictability.
In January, the 2nd Inf. Div. Commander, Maj. Gen. Edward Cardon, decided the old approach to re-equipping his force was in need of an overhaul, said Maj. Augustus Tutu, the division’s chief of force integration.
The result, said Tutu, was a highly compressed version of one aspect of the force generation cycle: the reset period. During this period, for the first time, the division would concentrate on fielding, integrating and training on new equipment without disruption to their training schedules.
“The reset period provides the division a window of opportunity to rapidly field and integrate new technologies into the fighting force, train soldiers and leaders on systems, and to minimize manpower requirements, which may otherwise have been allocated to large scale training exercises,” said Capt. Daniel Stankus, the officer overseeing implementation of electronic early warning systems.
But, like any mission, fielding such a broad range of equipment presented its own challenges, especially for a unit under the Warrior Division’s unique circumstances.
Scheduling conflicts between transportation and installation of equipment, classroom instruction, ranges and availability of personnel became evident as they attempted to reset a deployed unit, said Capt. Douglas Brauch, the officer managing armored tactical vehicle upgrades.
Despite the challenging circumstances, several systems were rapidly and successfully fielded in the most comprehensive equipment modernization in the division’s history, said Tutu, who explained that the upgrades offered improvements to nearly every aspect of the division’s combat operations.
And, while the process may have caused some long days for soldiers and their families, the division’s increased combat capabilities translate into better odds in times of conflict, said Capt. Timothy Dick, the integration officer for the fielding’s advanced communication devices.
“Therein lies the real reason for the push to field such a wide array of new equipment in such a short amount of time – ensuring that our troops are returned home safely,” said Staff Sgt. Nestor Rivas, a non-commissioned officer who helped units integrate the latest battlefield technology designed help differentiate between friendly and enemy forces.
“This monumental effort could not have been done without the assistance of the soldiers and civilians of the 8th Army and 2nd Infantry Division team,” Tutu said. “Senior leaders are working day-in and day-out to provide the war fighter with every available asset to help them fight tonight!”
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.06.2012 01:06 |
| Story ID: | 91160 |
| Location: | BUSAN GWANG'YEOGSI [PUSAN-KWANGYOKSHI], KR |
| Web Views: | 178 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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