Armed with a presidential mandate and the kind of training and operating area that military planners dream about, the Army’s home team in Hawaii is taking a spirited, innovative approach to America’s renewed attention in the Pacific. The fabled 25th Infantry Division has grabbed a leadership role in keeping an active, watchful eye on half of the earth’s surface, and the men and women of “Tropic Lightning” are employing two unique, synergistic initiatives to tackle the ongoing mission.
Script:
WE WILL PRESERVE OUR UNIQUE ABILITY TO PROJECT POWER AND DETER THREATS TO PEACE. AND WE WILL CONSTANTLY STRENGTHEN OUR CAPABILITIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE 21ST CENTURY. THE UNITED STATES IS A PACIFIC POWER AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY.
IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE REBALANCE, OR THE PIVOT TO THE PACIFIC….WHATEVER YOU CALL IT….IT STARTS RIGHT HERE….
THE ARMY ITSELF HASN’T DONE MUCH IN THE JUNGLE SINCE THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR. A WAR THAT TOOK SOLDIERS FROM DEFINED BATTLE LINES TO A PLACE WHERE THOSE LINES WERE ERASED. AFTER YEARS OF FOCUSING ON THE MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN THE ARMY REOPENED THE JUNGLE OPERATIONS TRAINING CENTER IN 2013 AT LIGHTNING ACADEMY.
CAPT ESSIET: THE 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION LIGHTNING ACADEMY IT’S THE TROOP AND SOLDIER SCHOOL FOR THE DIVISION.
MG FLYNN: WE ARE GOING TO BE ASKED LIKE WE HAVE HISTORICALLY TO OPERATE IN THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE MOUNTAINOUS JUNGLE ENVIRONMENTS. THEY ARE IN THE ISLANDS. THEY ARE IN THE CHAINS OF LAND AND WATER AND PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT IN PLACES LIKE INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THAILAND, BRUNEI, BANGLADESH, AND THE PHILIPPINES. I CAN GO ON AND ON.
Instructor example.
LTC WILLIAMS: A LOT OF OUR CADRE FROM LIGHTNING ACADEMY HAVE GONE TO THE JUNGLE SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTRIES THAT I JUST THE PATHWAYS. YOU KNOW YOU REALLY GET THE GOOD FEEL ON IF YOU GO THROUGH THE J-O-T-C HERE OR THE LIGHTNING ACADEMY, YOU’RE KIND OF GETTING A RECONNAISSANCE DONE FOR YOUR GUYS. NOT ONLY CAN THEY SHARE THE TECHNICAL TACTICAL ASPECTS OF JUNGLE OPERATIONS, WHICH TWO OF THE COUNTRIES SPECIFICALLY, BUT THEY CAN GIVE YOU A CULTURAL FEEL TOO.
NOW,THE “PATHWAYS’ COLONEL WILLIAMS IS TALKING ABOUT IS ACTUALLY CALLED “PACIFIC PATHWAYS” AND IT IS CHANGING HOW WE TRAIN AND DEPLOY. IN THE PAST PLATOONS WOULD PARTICIPATE IN INDIVIDUAL EXERCISES AND HEAD HOME AFTER A FEW WEEKS. INSTEAD PATHWAYS SENDS AN ENTIRE BRIGADE OUT FOR 90 DAYS, VISITING SEVERAL DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND DIFFERENT EXERCISES.
LTC WILLIAMS: MY BATTALION WAS ABLE TOP GO THROUGH MULTIPLE REPS OF MISSION COMMAND, DEPLOY, REDEPLOY….IN A 90 DAY PERIOD I HAD TO PACK UP LOAD THE SHIP AGAIN LAND SOMEWHERE, DOWNLOAD THE SHIP. ENTER THE COUNTRY. BUILD COMBAT POWER AND DO THE EXERCISE.SO IF YOU THINK OF THIS 90 DAY WINDOW I ACTUALLY DEPLOYED THE BATTALION FOUR SEPARATE TIMES.
EVEN THOUGH THEIR MAIN MISSION IS TO TRAIN, THE PRESENTS OF THESE SOLDIERS ALSO GIVES THE ARMY BOOTS ON THE GROUND….READY TO GO FOR ANY REAL WORLD CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS.
SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING OR WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO FACE.
News report……..
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2016 10:52 |
| Category: | Package |
| Video ID: | 445796 |
| VIRIN: | 151210-D-AX270-492 |
| Filename: | DOD_102982010 |
| Length: | 00:04:17 |
| Location: | OAHU, HAWAII, US |
| Downloads: | 28 |
| High-Res. Downloads: | 28 |
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